


Kingdom Hearts: Connected Lights

by cl_lex



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), The Sword in the Stone (1963), Winnie-the-Pooh (Disney)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Compliant, Dreams and Nightmares, Dreamscapes, Except it's not a rhythm game, Fix-It of Sorts, Friendship/Love, Game: Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, Gen, Keyblade Wielder Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Male-Female Friendship, Memories, Memory Alteration, Multi, Repressed Memories, Screenplay/Script Format, Video Game Mechanics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cl_lex/pseuds/cl_lex
Summary: After Sora vanishes from the paopu tree, Kairi decides to trace her connection to him in sleep, hoping to locate him wherever he is.Or: The oneiric Kairi Action-RPG game I wanted, based on the Limitcut premise.
Relationships: Axel & Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Merlin (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Kudos: 11





	1. Game menu

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
>  **Before you start:** This story is a video game script with some degree of interactivity that will let you explore the worlds in the order of your choice, as far as AO3 and my amateur knowledge of html will allow. It is not your typical fan fiction. Most chapters will not work in any of the downloadable formats, as I rely a lot on hyperlinks, and issues may appear in the "Entire Work" display. **"Chapter by Chapter" display is best, especially on mobile.** Please read the notes below on how to navigate this format if you don’t like surprises!
> 
> Rated T for canon-typical fantasy violence. And I'll add more character tags as I post.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** I don’t own a single thing here. All characters, background designs, most subplots and suggested soundtracks are Disney or Square Enix properties. I just wanted to try my hand at weaving together a Kairi adventure before the next game came out. Unfortunately, the _Melody of Memory_ trailer was released while I was two months into working on this, thinking I had all the time in the world… As it turns out, my story is not too far off the MoM canon path, so believe me when I say it was all written before November 2020 :)
> 
>  **Spoilers:** There are spoilers for ALL the KH games released so far, except for Melody of Memory.
> 
>  **Shipping statement:** The fic is tagged Sokai, but I try to be as canon-compliant as possible, which means there won’t be any more action than in the actual games. Whoever your OTP is, you’ll be fine!
> 
>  **More about the format:** This story is written in a format mixing screenplay style, game directions, and a few Choose-Your-Own-Adventure elements. Since KH is a semi-open world game, I wanted to make it possible to read some chapters and scenes in the order of your choice. I am learning to code this as I post, so please be kind and patient and don’t set your expectations too high :) The interactivity works both online and offline within a single chapter or page, but issues may appear once I start uploading world revisits if you're reading in the "Entire Work" display; so **I really recommend you read the story on "Chapter by Chapter" mode**. Downloadable formats will display long stretches of blank space between scenes. I apologise for this. If this is too inconvenient, please let me know!
> 
>  **Concrit, yes please!:** Feel free to share any thoughts and nitpicks you might have on any aspect of the fic—format, plot, characterization, game design,…— I am using this story as motivation to learn and/or practice a number of things, including how to write a full script in English, and I will patch up the story as I go. Any feedback will be much appreciated! Just don’t forget to point out what you like, so I can write more of it!
> 
>  **Thanks:** to so many people that I'll have to write the list down later, but mostly A. who knew nothing about KH or video games and read all my brainstorm-monologues with infinite patience anyway, and D. for hunting down canon-compliance issues and providing so much validation.
> 
>  **Please do not repost or translate without my permission.** Do NOT add this story to any collections [see [here](https://veelawings.tumblr.com/post/633062628568236032/laylainalaska-kedreeva-shamelesslymkp) and [here](https://no-gorms.tumblr.com/post/159810769456/psa-ao3-collections) why]. Bookmark collections are fine. Fan art is brilliant.
> 
> **Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the ride!**

_"Thinking of you, wherever you are.  
_ _We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend.  
_ _Now I will step forward to realize this wish."_

_—_  
  
**KINGDOM HEARTS:** **CONNECTED LIGHTS**

**—**

**GAME MENU**

Kairi stands alone in the water with her paopu fruit, next to where Sora should be.

The music you hear is “[A piece of Dearly Beloved](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHy3CunneJ0)” by Yoko Shimomura.

[[Start a new game :)]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66471301)


	2. Opening scenes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d edit my own video if I had more time u_u
> 
> Right-click to open music links in new windows manually.

**OPENING CINEMATIC**

Set to an orchestral version of “Face my fears”, a cinematic based on the imagery of the “Symphony No. 5” segment from _Fantasia 2000_ , interspersed with CGI images from KH3 and Re:Mind, recaps the story and separation of Sora and Kairi as the orange and pink butterflies from the Disney movie. The recap gives Kairi’s perspective on the events, rather than Sora’s, including her “glassing” and visions of the other guardians fighting. It emphasizes all the times Kairi and Sora saved each other, were separated, reunited and separated again—showing Xehanort’s hand in their fate. In the final image, Kairi is standing alone in the Final World watching the orange and pink butterflies flutter up to the clouds until the orange butterfly disappears into the light.

_—_

_To get a sense of what it would look like, watch the[Fantasia 2000 segment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMnlxYkZKaU), muted, playing your favorite “Face my Fear” track instead (it doesn’t work well with the Kaleidoscope remix). I like to play the [World of Tres Orchestral version from 13th Vessel’s channel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2fvpDGdeAQ) until the Fantasia video runs out, then jump back to 13thVessel’s video for the end of the track._

—

**KINGDOM HEARTS**

**CONNECTED LIGHTS**

—

**DESTINY ISLANDS — “REAL WORLD” — PLAY ISLAND, SEA SHORE**

Riku stands frozen as Axel and Aqua run to Kairi. Axel picks her up from the paopu tree and she breaks down crying in his arms while Aqua strokes her back. The others start to move around Riku. Riku finally steps forward, staring between Kairi crying and the spot from which Sora has disappeared.

SOMEONE

What happened?

Mickey looks up to Riku.

RIKU _(weakly)_

I thought he’d make it.

MICKEY

He went too far.

Axel lets Kairi stand and she hops off the platform onto the beach. She walks a few angry steps, brushing at her eyes with her arms, then falls on all fours and starts sobbing again. Axel and Aqua are at her side again. Riku just watches, too shocked to do anything else.

Kairi looks up and meets his eyes. Her grief turns to fierce determination.

**RADIANT GARDEN LAB — “REAL WORLD”**

[Hollow Bastion theme (KH1) ](https://youtu.be/4nlCNVewMjA)

ANSEM THE WISE

We can keep you asleep for as long as you need to trace your connection to Sora to its end.

Kairi sits on a medical chair, listening to Ansem the Wise who is flanked by Even and Ienzo. Riku, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Axel are behind them, near the door to Radiant Garden. They all look worried. Axel, with his arms crossed, looks like he doesn’t trust the scientists. Dilan and Aeleus stand next to the opposite door.

ANSEM THE WISE _(cont’d)_

We will be able to follow your trail on the computer, and the data we collect might help us find a path to reach him. However, if you arrive in a world that’s neither of light nor darkness, but somewhere on the other side, your task will be far from easy.

KAIRI

I understand. I want to do this.

IENZO

Should anything go awry, your distress signals will show on the monitor, and it might be best to wake you while we can.

KAIRI

Don’t.

RIKU & AXEL

Kairi!

Kairi shakes her head and smiles reassuringly.

KAIRI

I’m sorry. Yes, I trust that you will make the best decision. But don’t worry. I’ll be fine.

_(to Riku)_

We’ll find him.

Riku nods.

AXEL

I’m standing watch. No offence, but I’m not letting you two do all the work.

KAIRI

Thank you, Axel.

They share a look.

Kairi lies down on the chair. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, then opens them again.

1st person camera: looking up, all there is to see is a metal ceiling with harsh white neon lights; then, lowering her gaze, Kairi has a wide view of the server room through the lab window. Ienzo steps into view with his clipboard and looks at her.

IENZO

Ready?

Kairi blinks.

Black screen.

KAIRI

Yes.

KAIRI _(voice over)_

I’m not worried. I can’t vanish from a place with no sky.

**DIVE TO THE HEART**

[Destati (KH3)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TkG8Q06dZE)

The sound of a body falling through water. Kairi sinks willingly backwards into quickly darkening emptiness. The distant white lights above make frail threads that her fingers brush, until there’s nothing but black.

The fall slows and Kairi flips back up and lands on her feet on a pink and red stained-glass floor.

The Station shows her to one side, the curve of her back to the curve of the edge, her wielding arm in front of her, empty-handed, and the other arm folded across her chest, with her fist to her shoulder. The rest of the Station feels empty. Five empty circles stand out on an ocean background reminiscent of the Islands’ main shore.

KAIRI

What is this?

She takes a step forward and stops to look some more.

_[L: Take a step forward.]_

There is a stretch of sky meeting the waves at the horizon, but it’s barely there. The lines in the blank circles look like the glass was fractured.

Kairi looks up and around.

_[R: move the camera]_

Nothing but darkness around the pillar, but then Kairi sees a glimmer in the distance. The soft white light of another Station cutting through black mist. It’s there but it's very far away.

[Take a look around.]

As Kairi steps nearer to her own form on the floor, a keyhole design appears in the lead lines on her chest, where the crook of her elbow is folded protectively across her heart.

_[∆: Touch/Open]_

A small flash makes her step back as a bubble of golden light and white haze forms over the keyhole. Kairi can’t get any closer.

She clenches her fist, and unclenches it.

Turning around, she holds her fist to her pendant.

_[Hold R2 or L2 to search your memories.]_

Kairi takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

Visions rise around her:

[Her keyblade clashing against a fiery one in training]

[Symmetrical wings unfolding as she and Sora hold hands and conjure light]

[Her arm and Sora’s holding paopu fruit to each other against the sunset]

The first one will give you an Attack ability path; the second a Magic boost; the third a Defense path.

[Is that who you are?]

Yes.

Kairi opens her eyes and stands up.

[Explore the station.]

Walking to the very edge, on the side of the distant light, allows you to peer into the darkness straight ahead. But there is nothing else to see. Standing at some point on the other side has Kairi look down into the darkness. The dark is so thick it doesn’t seem like you would end up anywhere. The keyhole pattern is hazy and difficult to make out under the seal. The empty circles stand out.

_[Hold L1 to ask for guidance.]_

Kairi stops, summons her keyblade and raises it in front of her.

KAIRI

May my heart be my guiding key.

She twirls the keyblade in front of her. Growing, blinding golden to white light shoots from the tip in a beam that pierces through the darkness ahead.

FADE TO WHITE.


	3. The Secret Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  _“The leaves in the trees here seem to whisper unspoken words, unspoken feelings…_
> 
> _Sora, it’s my turn to fight for you.”_
> 
> —Kairi, KH3 loading screen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters so far are unbetaed and this is my first attempt at interactive story-telling. Please bear with me while I figure out how best to use what limited HTML I can! It is still a game script and not a full-on CYOA game, but you will be able to jump around a bit as you read. Do let me know if you experience any issues. Thank you for giving this a try!
> 
> And **thank you so much for leaving kudos on the opening chapter!** It meant the world to me!
> 
> Alright. First playable world. Here we go.
> 
> My writing soundtrack:  
> [“Black Magic” – Digital Daggers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlLeocQ2JmM)  
> Suggested field theme:  
> [“The Black Shroud” – FFXIV OST](https://youtu.be/7yCGVNJhAH8) (cause a little piece of Kairi’s theme snuck into it)

**SECRET FOREST – “THE RING” – DAY**

Kairi comes to in the middle of a fight against Axel, in a very small clearing, in the Secret Forest seen in KH3. She is in her KH2 outfit and her hair is pulled up in a bun.

  


AXEL  
Bring it on, Princess!

  


This friendly fight is the battle tutorial of the game. Learn the basic battle commands: attack, dodge, block, lock. You don’t have aerial recovery yet, but you can counterattack.

You can also hide behind trees and rocks, but it’s pretty useless here.

If you successfully block and counterattack, Axel exclaims, “Wow, not getting used to this thing…” while awkwardly twirling his keyblade.

After you learn the basic commands, Axel and Kairi circle around each other and a free fight starts:

[Practice with Axel].

  


AXEL  
With all you’ve got!

  


A water magic command is available [L1 + ∆] but not pointed out. If you use it, Axel says “Hey! No cheating!” and counter attacks hard.

Axel is practicing close range physical attacks, but sometimes he’ll throw his Keyblade like a chakram and you’ll hear, “Woops…”

[Axel beats you]

| 

[You win the fight]  
  
---|---  
  
**[Axel beats you]**

Axel walks to Kairi and extends a friendly hand to help her up.

AXEL  
You okay?

Kairi accepts his help.

KAIRI  
Yes. Thank you.

She wipes her brow with the back of her hand.

AXEL  
You should stop charging like that. You know that’s not your strongest suit.

KAIRI  
I know... It’s not that easy.

They give each other a lopsided smile. Kairi nods and dismisses her Keyblade.

[Got it!]

[But what if I win?]

**[You win the fight]**

Axel stands back up and dismisses his Keyblade.

AXEL  
Maybe I _shouldn’t_ hold back.

Kairi wipes her brow with the back of her hand.

KAIRI _(smiles)_  
Told you so.

Axel leans forward and grins, tapping his temple.

AXEL  
I’ll get it memorized.

Kairi nods and dismisses her Keyblade.

[Got it!]

[But what if Axel wins?]

[Go back to the beginning of the chapter.]

Axel sighs loudly and stretches his arms. You can explore the small clearing. If you go too far from Axel or go talk to him, he asks, “Do you want to head back?”

[ **Yes** / Not yet.]

Axel takes a path and walks away.

[Follow Axel.]

You can look around and follow at your own pace, but you cannot stray too far off the scripted path for now. If you lag behind or go too far, Axel waits for you and grows impatient.

AXEL  
Speed is going to be a problem. We need to find you a way to make up for that.

KAIRI  
Merlin says to be “patient.”

AXEL  
Yeah, right.

KAIRI  
It’s easier when I can use magic.

AXEL  
For sure. But you know what grandpa says…?

KAIRI  
Don’t call me old?

AXEL _(laughing)_  
Haha, that too.

KAIRI  
Magic doesn’t solve everything.

AXEL  
Magic doesn’t solve everything… But it sure helps a lot.

KAIRI  
I’ll find a way to sneak behind you someday. You’ll see.

AXEL  
Oh, I’m sure you will. And that’s…

KAIRI  
What?

AXEL  
Nothing. That’s good! It’ll keep me on my toes.

KAIRI  
Axel…

Past a small side-path to an old well, you reach a small cottage with a thatch roof. There is a SAVE POINT nearby. Merlin comes out of the cottage and takes a look at his pocket watch.

MERLIN  
So, you did make it for tea, after all!

KAIRI _(smiling)_  
We’re back!

As Axel and Kairi close the remaining distance, they walk past a phantom present-day Kairi in her KH3 design, who watches them and then looks up and away. The camera pans and zooms out, over a sea of trees, to TITLE ART:

**~ THE SECRET FOREST ~**

KAIRI _(voice over)_  
The forest is beautiful, just like I remember. Training here with Merlin and Axel, I remember feeling like I was finally done waiting. Why is my heart guiding me here?

There are two Kairis on screen. Memory-Kairi (in KH2 outfit) is chatting with Axel and Merlin. You now control the present-day Kairi, whom none of the others notice, though they will shift absent-mindedly if you bump into them. This main version of Kairi will now be called Heart-Diving!Kairi or HD!Kairi for disambiguation, when necessary. The field theme changes depending on which Kairi you control.

You are explained how the SHIFT command works:

[SHIFT 1: Hold L2 or R2] _Throughout the game, you will be able to Shift from Heart-Diving!Kairi to younger versions of herself from her memories; switching from one controllable form to another will grant you access to some areas that either HD!Kairi or Memory!Kairi can’t reach. Thanks to the light connecting hearts, there will be even more possibilities to unlock._

_Situational prompts will let you know when to Shift to reveal hidden scenes, switch characters, and follow new paths. You can try and activate the Shift command at any point during the game, except during random fights. Successfully Shifting after running away from enemies will make them disappear._

As Heart-Diving!Kairi, you cannot enter the cottage.

[Shift to Memory!Kairi.]

Heart-diving Kairi vanishes from the screen; the camera angle changes slightly to center and zoom in a little on Memory!Kairi, whom you now control. A combat portal appears in the area, which allows you to replay Memory fights like the opening Axel fight with various constraints. Use these fights to practice, level up, win accessories and earn Dream Drops—the currency for this game. Axel, Memory!Kairi and Merlin debrief the training session.

AXEL  
…no problems with the Keyblade.

MERLIN  
Splendid!

Talk to Merlin, or try the cottage door:

MERLIN  
Are you ready to learn more spells?

KAIRI  
Yes!

[Obtained Blizzard, Aero and Stop]

AXEL  
I am not gonna like those…

Talking to Merlin:

MERLIN  
Use the portal if you want to practice some more.

When you approach the cottage door, Merlin asks if you are ready to call it a day.

[Obtained SECRET LETTER 1]

**MERLIN’S COTTAGE – DAY**

The inside of Merlin’s cottage is packed with piles of books. If you touch the SUGAR BOWL, it will hit your fingers with its teaspoon. There is a CABINET surrounded with ominously bubbling multicolored concoctions, in which you can trade Dream Drops for curatives. A grumpy ARCHIMEDES is the one supervising the transaction. There is also a BOOKSTAND, which prompts Kairi to remark, “There used to be a book here.” If you try to Shift, Kairi will think to herself, “I’m not tired yet.”

The MENU gives you access to KAIRI’S JOURNAL—an on-going collection of letters to Sora that track your progress, like Jiminy’s journal or Mickey’s letter to Sora in _Re:Coded_. The SECRET LETTERS are letters like the one featured in KH3, which Kairi wrote during past games. Other sections are standard KH features.

[READ SECRET LETTER 1]

[MEMORY SIDE-QUEST]

Exit the cottage.

**SECRET LETTER 1**

_Dear Sora,_

_I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. Did Master Yen Sid tell you? I’m training to be a Keyblade wielder, like you. Can you believe it? No more waiting around for you to come home from your adventures. Now I can do my part to help. I’ll still have to wait a little to see you though._

_I hope you get back safely. Whatever Xehanort did to you, I need you to believe it wasn’t your fault. You are stronger than you think, Sora. Strong enough to be a Master. Even more than that. I hope… No. I_ know _you’ll be okay. We’ll all be okay._

_Things have started to move faster, and there’s so much to cover. Merlin came to get me at Disney Castle. I met Donald’s fiancée—Daisy—, Chip and Dale, and Queen Minnie, and now here I am, in a magical forest where I can take all the time I need to train. It’s pretty amazing._

_And I’ll be training here with Axel—I mean… Lea._

_I admit, I’m a little worried about training with him. Mickey said he helped save you—for that, I should be grateful—but it’s hard for me to unsee the person who tried to kidnap me to get to you. He does feel a little different. He certainly doesn't act the same around me as before. I can tell he’s trying to apologize. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see for myself if I can trust him._

_I know I’m safe. I trust Merlin, and Riku said he trusts Axel to be on our side, now. I mean, Lea. Queen Minnie also said he saved her. She said… She said I could reach out to her if I was feeling uneasy. She said Merlin would understand and they’d find another way._

_I want to figure things out for myself. I am scared. But I’ll hear him out and see for myself. I’ll be strong._

_—Kairi_

[Back to Kairi's Journal]

**MEMORY CARDS**

Throughout the game, just like the Puzzle side-quest in KH2FM, you'll find cards representing matching pairs of male and female animals inspired by the _Pomp and Circumstance_ segment in _Fantasia 2000_. There are fifty pairs to collect. The corresponding journal page has designs and check marks like Donald's illustrated list in the original _Fantasia 2000_ movie. 

[Back to Kairi's Journal]

[Woops! I want to go back to Kairi's Journal]

Back outside, Merlin has an additional recurring line:

MERLIN  
Now don’t get any idea that magic will solve your problems!

AXEL  
Yeah, yeah, we’ve got it memorized…

[Shift back to Heart-Diving!Kairi to explore the woods.]

This is a sort of “Lost Woods” world. You won’t feel a lot of spatial limitations until you reach points that very obviously loop back to previously visited areas. A hand-drawn map—kind of like the KH3 Caribbean map or Pooh’s Storybook in KH1—is available in the menu; you can lock a target area on it and party member hints will help navigate the world. The Secret Forest is designed to feel like a safe, visually boundless space, for now, but new areas will appear throughout the game, gradually revealing its “real,” original outline.

[ACCESSIBLE AREAS]

_Read in the order of your choice._

**The Grumpy Well (North-East)**

**The Path (West)**

**Sunset view (South-West)**

**Downhill River (South)**

**Hilltop (South)**

**The Oldest Tree (North-West)**

After at least two memories have been watched or played through, including one combat segment, the forest expands to the North with a new area.

**THE GRUMPY WELL (NE)**

A tiny clearing to your right when you leave the cottage. The old stone well at the center of it attacks you with its chain if you get too close. Block three attacks in a row without counterattacking and it will throw Ethers in return. Trying to Shift only prompts the well to echo and gurgle back grumbling lines like, “fiendish chain”, “one big medieval mess”, “age of inconvenience,” in a distorted Merlin voice. No random encounters.

[Explore another area.]

**THE PATH (W)**

The Path leads to the clearing where Axel and Kairi dueled. It’s not possible to Shift. A few Nightmares start spawning on the way. A Tama Sheep pops up.

[Dream Eaters] _As this game takes place in dreams, a benevolent Dream Eater will be your companion throughout the Dive. Unlike in Dream Drop Distance, only one Spirit can appear on the field at a time, as other characters will sometimes join the party. You can however find and create new Dream Eaters along the way and switch between them, in and out of combat. Holding L1 will prompt your Dream Eater to point out elements to interact with on the field or help you find your way, all the more so if you have locked targets on the map._

If you climb up the side of the path, you have a 60% chance to just reappear on the other side of the path instead of progressing deeper into the woods.

[Explore another area.]

**SUNSET VIEW (SW)**

You can hear OFF-SCREEN VOICES as you draw near.

AXEL  
A letter?

KAIRI  
Yup.

AXEL  
To Sora?

KAIRI  
Mmm, technically yes. But I won’t send it. It’s more for me.

A gorgeous view of the world as you step out of the line of trees. The forest sprawls in every direction. There seems to be hills with fields in the distance, lost in odd sunset colors. Kairi will automatically stop before you step off the cliff, but if you insist, you can jump down.

An ICE CREAM STICK lies on the ground. You can Shift next to it. This will trigger the first KH3 Lea & Kairi scene [[Watch here]](https://youtu.be/plj0gH85-gY?t=172), starting with their voices alone as a transition to the flashback. 

**Skip the KH3 Flashback**

KAIRI  
Ice cream? Really?

AXEL  
Yeah. I asked Merlin to pick these up.  
Ya know, we did both summon Keyblades. Gotta celebrate.

KAIRI  
You’re sweet, Lea.

AXEL  
Naw…

Kairi takes a bite while Axel stares.

KAIRI  
What?

AXEL  
N-nothing. I just…

KAIRI  
You’re trying to remember what you forgot?

AXEL  
Well, I, uh… Yeah… Yeah.

KAIRI  
So tomorrow—you and me in the ring. You ready?

AXEL  
‘Course.

KAIRI  
Don’t hold back, Lea. Promise?

A vision of Xion. Lea drops his ice cream, starts crying.

KAIRI  
Huh? Are you okay? Lea!

AXEL  
Yeah… Sorry…

KAIRI  
You’re crying. What’s wrong?

AXEL  
Something in my eyes.

KAIRI  
Lea…

AXEL  
I’m… gonna go. Sorry.

KAIRI  
‘Kay, but stop apologizing.

AXEL  
Fine… on one condition.

KAIRI  
What?

AXEL  
Call me Axel from now on. Got it memorized?

KAIRI  
Yeah. Okay, Axel.

Axel leaves. Kairi watches him go, then looks down at the untouched ice cream in the grass.

End flashback and back to Heart-Diving!Kairi.

[Explore another area.]

**DOWNHILL RIVER (S)**

Croaking of frogs. Your Dream Eater hops around a particular rock. Shift to a playable training segment: Lea and Memory!Kairi battle Merlin’s water walls, without weapons, while constantly being turned into frogs. Merlin turns into a frog himself and leaves his hat floating in a magical bubble that moves very quickly around the area, which you need to hit. Frog status greatly decreases all stats, blocks magic, but you can still attack, guard and dodge, and use Remedies to turn back to human. Although moving about seems slow and jumps are awkward, it is easier to get close to the target unnoticed as a frog as you are smaller and can hide behind rocks. If your HP drops to zero, Merlin will heal you and tell you to try again.

Halfway through the battle:

KAIRI _(thinks aloud)_  
We need to team up.

LEA  
Kairi, watch out!

Kairi dodges a crashing wave and lands closer to Lea; Lea grabs her arm to steady her and Kairi jumps at the touch. Lea lets go immediately. Both look unsettled and try to cover it up quickly. You still have to play and dodge as the dialogue runs.

KAIRI  
It’s no use, is it?

LEA  
Do you trust me?

KAIRI  
What?

LEA  
I’ve got an idea, but…

Wave crash.

KAIRI  
Okay…

LEA  
Okay. Wait for my signal.

Press ∆ to activate the Team Attack that appears as a Situation Command while you are under Frog status but Lea isn’t: Lea grabs Frog!Kairi and throws her across the field like she's a Chakram; Kairi curls into a ball. Hit X as she hits the water bubble to successfully complete the Team Attack.

**If you miss the mark:**

Kairi bursts through the bubble, awkwardly grabs the hat with her front frog legs, and splashes into the water with it. The battle ends. Merlin steps into view.

MERLIN  
Haha! Well done!

He picks up the hat, to which Kairi is clinging, and deposits her on the rock.

MERLIN  
Snick snack snorum!

In a puff of pink smoke, Kairi turns human again.

**If you hit X at the right moment:**

Kairi bursts the bubble and grabs the hat and keeps dropping down with the hat held over her head like a parachute, which only slows the fall so much. She lands in a puddle of water on a flat rock, with ease, and promptly half disappears into the hat.

MERLIN _(off screen)_  
Haha! Well done!

His wand appears into view and hits the hat as Kairi was lifting it up from her face.

KAIRI _(surprise, not pain)_  
Ow!

MERLIN  
Snick snack snorum!

In a puff of pink smoke, Kairi turns human again.

Lea is a pathetic sight with wet red hair hanging over his face. He picks himself up, slips and falls back down, this time staying there. Merlin is beaming.

MERLIN  
Now that was a brilliant idea, Lea!  
Combine your strengths and you’ll make up for any weapon you can’t use anymore.

LEA  
Water’s the worst. Ugh…

Kairi is still processing what just happened. Lea catches her eye and looks away, uneasy.

LEA  
Don’t laugh.

Kairi gets up and stumbles, too. Lea instinctively holds out his arm to catch her, but he’s too far and hasn’t gotten up from his sitting position, so it’s useless; Kairi regains her balance without falling anyway. Lea drops his arm and focuses on his hair.

MERLIN  
Do you need a break, lads?

LEA _(mumbles)_  
Always.

[Try again.] **[Shift out of the memory]**

_[Obtained Toad spell. Cast it successfully on a staggered or stunned Nightmare and it will be instantly defeated. Cast it on yourself to turn into a frog for a limited amount of time.]_

[Explore another area.]

**HILLTOP (S)**

Cross the river and climb up the hill. When you reach the top of the hill, you hear Merlin’s voice.

MERLIN  
Now, by the by, in what direction is this castle of yours?

BOY  
I think it’s north. The other way.

MERLIN  
Oh, oh.

Shifting makes the voices clearer as Kairi turns around; it allows you to hear the lines again if you insist, but shows nothing. Kairi turns back. If you keep going South, you slip and fall to Merlin’s cottage.

[Explore another area.]

**THE OLDEST TREE (NW)**

A clearing, larger than the Ring, around a very big tree with thick branches twisting smoothly up and out into the sky. You can hear squirrels in the branches overhead. The sound makes your Dream Eater hop around happily.

[Shift] As Heart-Diving!Kairi turns into Memory!Kairi, she’s suddenly back to back with Axel. A playable defense exercise starts, where you have to dodge/deflect physical and magical attacks; locate the invisible enemy and wait for an opening to attack using “Heart of a Princess.” This is the Shotlock tutorial. You can also earn XP by hitting flying pinecones at the right time to send them back to the attacker. Axel keeps reflexively throwing his Keyblade like a Chakram and gets increasingly frustrated.

After your first successful attempt at Heart of a Princess:

AXEL  
That’s great! Next time try not to burn the whole forest down?

KAIRI  
You’re one to talk!

AXEL  
Touché…

Failed attempt:

AXEL  
Keep it up! It’s just a matter of focus!

KAIRI  
Yes!

Other successful attempts:

AXEL  
Want to reign it in a little?

KAIRI  
Sorry!

AXEL  
Looks like you can aim!

You can now use “Heart of a Princess” in combat.

If you search the area thoroughly, you can find a TORN PAGE described as “a cracked piece of parchment with the words LAWS OF NATURE… probably.”

[Explore another area.]

**NORTHERN AREA (N)**

The area is slightly gloomier than the rest of the forest.

[Skip the scene if this is your second visit.]

[Shift]

Kairi and Lea are walking further north. Depending on how far you’ve gone in the area before Shifting, Heart-Diving!Kairi will merge into Memory-Kairi quickly or turn into a glowing orb of light floating back to the edge of the area which Kairi and Lea have just entered. The light transitions back to the usual copper hues, though still a shade darker with the foliage blocking the sun.

LEA  
Ever wonder how far we can go until we reach the edge?

KAIRI  
Uhm. Maybe a little. But Merlin said it was no use anyway.  
I guess I just wonder where this world comes from, mostly.

LEA  
Huh. Yeah, I guess that’s a good question, too.

KAIRI  
I can't help but feel like the woods are hiding something.  
Like we're not seeing all there is to it. Not in a bad way, but... It's not what's beyond that matters, but what's already there.  
I don’t know if it’s just me.

LEA  
No. I feel the same. I’ve been having dreams that don’t feel entirely my own...

KAIRI  
Really?

LEA  
Yeah, like wanting to fly, or… turning into a squirrel.

KAIRI  
No way!

The flashback is cut short by a startled doe rushing right past Heart-Diving Kairi, pulling her back from the memory. When Kairi spins around, the doe has already vanished into the woods. There is distant shouting to the North:

MAN  
Why, you clumsy little fool!

BOY  
Oh, Kay, please, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. Please.

KAY  
If I ever… _(grunts as he falls)_ If I ever get my hands on you, I’ll, I’ll ring…  
your scrawny little neck, so help me, I will.

Kairi runs two steps towards the voices, then it’s up to you.

BOY _(voice getting closer)_  
I’ll get the arrow, Kay. I’m sure I can find it.

KAY  
Don’t tell me you’re going in there. Why, it’s swarming with wolves.

BOY  
I’m not afraid.

KAY  
Well, go ahead. It’s your skin, not mine. Go on, go on.

WART from _The Sword in the Stone_ barges through the thicket, trips on a root, and crashes to the ground near Kairi.

KAIRI  
Are you alright?

WART _(getting up)_  
Ye… Yes. I’m sorry, I have to… Who are you?

KAIRI  
I’m Kairi.

Nightmares spawn around them. Arthur jumps. Kairi summons her Keyblade.

KAIRI  
Move back.

[Defeat the enemies.]

Wart runs around and picks rocks and a stick up to defend himself.

Once you’ve cleared the area, Wart is on his bum. Kairi helps him up.

WART  
Thank you, miss. What're those?

KAIRI  
Nightmares. I think.

WART  
Are you a fairy?

KAIRI  
No. What about you?

WART  
Oh, my name’s Arthur, but everyone calls me Wart.

KAIRI  
Nice to meet you.

WART  
My foster brother’s lost an arrow. I’ve got to get it back.

He’s more hesitant than he sounded earlier.

KAIRI  
I can go with you if you’d like.

WART  
Would you? That’d be awfully kind of you, miss.

KAIRI  
Kairi’s fine.

WART  
I’m sorry, miss… Kairi.

Kairi smiles kindly. Wart smiles sheepishly.

KAIRI  
So, where do you think it is?

WART  
I think it went that way.

KAIRI  
Alright. Let’s look around.

You can’t Shift anywhere while Wart is in the party. Help him find the arrow in the slightly bluer forest. He will fight with a stick, using it like a sword with comically awkward moves. He’s most efficient with stones, but Kairi will have to do all the hard work against the Nightmares and make sure his HP doesn’t drop to zero, or you’ll have to start over. You can sometimes direct Wart to climb in trees and shower apples that will stun the enemies below… but also hit you if you don’t move away or block. He’ll drop hidden items from trees, too.

Once you reach the path to Merlin’s cottage, Wart spots the arrow.

WART  
Oh, there it is!

He runs ahead and climbs up the trees to retrieve it.

KAIRI  
Be careful!

More enemies spawn at ground level—a pack of wolfish Nightmares. Among them, an invisible one.

[Shift-during-boss-fights tutorial: _Use the Shift to reveal weaknesses or hidden layers to the enemy._ ] Here the Shift briefly shows the true appearance of the invisible wolf: the famished wolf from the _Sword in the Stone_ , much smaller in size than the invisible Nightmare. You won’t be able to hit the original wolf because we do not condone animal cruelty :) Instead the wolf will dodge and hide in bushes and sprint to another side of the battle field. Use Aero while Shifting to make branches fall and scare the original wolf away; unshift and you can hit the branches to one-hit the Nightmares or use Aero again to create a tornado of sticks that will clear the area. Shift again and hit the wolf with Water magic to end the fight.

WART  
Whoaaaaa!

_Crack!_

KAIRI  
Wart!

Kairi sees the hole in the cottage roof and runs to the door.

You can now enter the cottage without Shifting to Memory!Kairi first. In fact, you have to, in order to get the next scene, otherwise you'll end up in the usual room.

The cottage is completely empty. Not a single piece of furniture in sight. There is a hole in the thatch roof and an old book lying on the floor next to the patch of sun. 

[Pick it up.] 

The book has a deep red cover and a bright golden lock. It is a heavy volume, but the first pages are missing. Kairi carefully turns a page, covering a drawing of the sword Excalibur stuck in an anvil. The first intact page is filled with illuminated text.

KAIRI _(reads)_  
“A legend is sung of when England was young…”

The book is ripped away from her by Merlin.

MERLIN  
“And knights were brave and bold,” yes, yes… rubbish.  
A pack of mindless brutes, like they all were in the Dark Age.

The cottage is back to normal, except Archimedes isn’t here and Kairi is still in her present-day outfit, looking around in a daze. Merlin steps over a chest to go put the book back on top of a pile of other books and items.

KAIRI  
What is this book?

Merlin pauses. He shakes his head and sighs.

MERLIN  
These are the memories I used to create the forest.

KAIRI  
Memories?

MERLIN  
Yes. Do you remember what I told you about these woods?

KAIRI  
You said you’d dreamed it up. That you took the idea from a book you found.

Merlin scratches his head.

MERLIN  
It was indeed a book. I created this place using my memoirs.  
You and Axel weren’t the first I trained. Young Wart was the first. Back in Old England.

KAIRI  
The boy I saw in the woods.

MERLIN  
Indeed. There used to be a forest, and I used to have a house there, until the time had come to meet my pupil. I kept what happened in these woods hidden from you, however—to the best of my ability. Yet it would seem that those memories found a path into your heart anyway. Probably the time you spent within these lines… Nothing’s ever truly lost, it would seem. See, I met Wart right… here.

He moves the chair to the right spot, measuring out the exact position with his wand, glancing at the ceiling. There is a hole in the roof.

KAIRI  
There wasn't a hole in the roof before.

MERLIN  
Well there is one now. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain.

He grabs a pot and places it on the chair.

KAIRI  
I don’t understand... Are you a memory, too?

Merlin stops to look at her.

MERLIN  
In a way, I am.  
This is your dream, Kairi.  
Dreams hold memories, and I am part of the dream.  
We may not have had this conversation before, but you have perceived its truth while you were training.  
Even though I tried to keep parts of the story away from you, it is tied to every line of this world.  
A world to which you’ve opened your heart and soul.  
Truths and secrets can be shared without words. Sometimes without us meaning to.  
This is what it must mean.

Kairi doesn’t respond.

MERLIN  
Your heart is connected to many others. Use this connection to find your answers.

KAIRI  
Will you always be here?

MERLIN  
As long as you’ll need me, child.

Kairi nods.

Nothing else happens. Get out of the cottage.

[UPDATED AREAS]

Going back inside the cottage, you can retrieve the _Sword in the Stone_ book from the pile.

If you do so as Heart-Diving!Kairi—Merlin isn’t in the room anymore—you can then put the book on the BOOKSTAND and it will work like the _Winnie the Pooh_ book in KH2, when Sora realizes the pages are missing and the book world is quite empty. The open double page features paragraphs of incomprehensible KH writing with blank space for missing illustrations.

If you retrieve the book as Memory!Kairi, Archimedes says, “Oh, best not let him see you take this one…” and you have to Shift back to Heart-Diving!Kairi to place the book on the bookstand.

There are FIVE MISSING PAGES to recover. Find out what Merlin kept hidden.

[But wait... I found a TORN PAGE earlier... Can I try it?]

*) Memory-Kairi and Axel’s positions near the cottage change—Axel leaves the area, Kairi sits down in a corner, pulls out her notepad and a pencil, and thinks. Merlin is nowhere to be seen; the portal is still there. When you take control of Memory!Kairi, you’ll now hear “Ow”s and “By George” and “Oh confound it!” coming from the general area of the Path and Grumpy Well. You can take the Path as Memory!Kairi, which wasn’t possible before, or Shift to her along the way to the new playable flashback.

*) Your Dream Eater really wants to return to the Oldest Tree area.

*) A new area can pop up to the North. It seems you'll be able to step out of the woods a little.

You can also go back and explore other areas you’ve skipped earlier. The Northern area Skip link will bring you back here.

**THE OLDEST TREE**

Unless you’ve marked another target on the area map, or you’ve already found the TORN PAGE after your first visit, your Dream Eater will always stray towards the Oldest Tree area until you find MISSING PAGE #2.

[Found MISSING PAGE #2]

[Return it to the _Sword in the Stone_ book.]

[Explore some more]

**SIDE-QUEST: MISSING PAGE #2, “Laws of nature”**

An illuminated drawing of the Oldest Tree has appeared in the book.

[Enter the page]

**SECRET FOREST – TREE TOPS**

Kairi falls through the branches, transformed into a pinkish-burgundy squirrel. She screeches in surprise and half lands on Archimedes who was napping on a branch.

ARCHIMEDES  
Who? Who? What—what?  
Oh, get a tree of your own! Now, go on. Shoo! Skedaddle!

KAIRI  
Sorry!

ARCHIMEDES  
Oh, you squirrely squirrels!

Kairi hops to another tree and barely catches herself as the thin branch breaks and she drops lower.

MERLIN _(up above)_  
Now, what did I tell you? Always look before you leap.

WART  
Well, I made it, didn’t I?

MERLIN  
Yes, yes, you made it. You made it, but you can’t always trust luck, boy.

Merlin is a bluish squirrel with a mustache and spectacles. Wart is a young brown squirrel.

**There are three short platforming mini-games you can play:**

1) Climb up and catch up with Merlin and Arthur as they leap from tree to tree overhead.

2) Arthur suggests a race. Kairi says, “okay,” but warns him that she’s not good at this. Arthur says he’s sure she can do it and it’ll be fun anyway.

3) Arthur trips over a bird’s nest, upsetting its occupant; fleeing the red bird, he lands badly on a branch and is about to fall off the tree as he desperately clings to it. Rush to his help; be mindful of the angry bird and falling acorns on the way.

**Rewards:**

1) Gravity magic, Lvl1.

2) Air dodge.

3) Form change #1: Squirrel. Turn into a squirrel to dodge attacks, climb up trees, and more. Like Form Changes and Link Summons, the transformation only lasts a certain amount of time, and you can cancel it before the time is up.

Try out the new form in the forest. Find cards in the branches and make items (AP/Magic/Defense bonus) drop to the ground. Reaching a high point in the trees will trigger a FLASHBACK:

**SECRET FOREST – GROUND LEVEL**

Under the canopy of foliage, Kairi is sitting, taking notes on her notepad. Axel, sitting a couple feet away, is not taking notes; he looks supremely bored. They glance at each other while Merlin draws diagrams on his blackboard.

MERLIN  
…Gravity is what causes you to fall.

AXEL  
Oh, like a stumble, or a trip?

Kairi giggles behind her hand.

MERLIN  
Yes, it’s like a stumble or a… No, no, no, no, no. It is the force that pulls you downward. The phenomenon that any two material particles or bodies, if free to move, will be accelerated toward each other…

He looks at them both chidingly, brandishing his piece of chalk at them.

MERLIN  
Don’t take gravity too lightly or it’ll catch up with you!

END FLASHBACK

[Explore another area.]

**THE OLD MOAT**

This is a small, quiet and empty area: a moat snakes along the edge of the forest area you’ve just left. On the other side of the water stand the walls of a medieval castle. The bridge is up; you cannot cross.

[Shift] Nothing seems to happen—the screen ripples briefly and Kairi doesn’t change. But then your Dream Eater spots reflections of Arthur and Merlin in the water, as if the two were walking along the moat. You can hear their conversation clearly. Arthur hops from rock to rock, swinging a stick as if it were a sword. Merlin walks ahead of him, turning around when he speaks to him.

ARTHUR  
I’d give anything to go riding about on a great white charger… slaying dragons and griffins and man-eating giants.

MERLIN  
Well, won’t you?

ARTHUR  
Oh. No. You see, I’m an orphan, and a knight must be of proper birth. I only hope I’m worthy to be Kay’s squire. That’s a big job too, you know.

MERLIN  
Oh, indeed, yes, yes. I would say almost impossible. Yes.

A dragonfly buzzes over the waterlilies—a fish jumps out of the water, breaking the vision and swallowing the bug. When the ripple smooths out, the reflection is gone.

[Explore another area.]

**THE GRUMPY WELL**

Merlin hops on one leg as his other leg is tangled in the well’s chain. Lea tries to help, but Merlin is flailing and cursing.

MERLIN  
Oh, confound it! Haven’t you had enough?

THE GRUMPY WELL _(echo)_  
ENOUGH!

With a loud boom the well bursts into a cloud of multicolored smoke and stars. When the smoke dissipates, the well has mutated into a Nightmare reminiscent of Lord Ochu in FFX, with tentacular chains and vines.

 **[Boss fight]** Use all the skills you’ve learned to defeat the Nightmare. Example: The well occasionally blows out smoke which inflict Sleep, Confusion or Poison status effects; turning into a frog beforehand makes you immune to the toxic fumes. Kairi can’t summon her Keyblade yet, so during the first phase of the fight, you can only use magic. Lea uses his Chakrams, but the well catches them and sends them back, dealing significant damage, so he gives up quite quickly.

KAIRI  
We need our Keyblades!

LEA  
Yeah, I figured that out!

KAIRI  
Then summon it!

Lea tries several times, and gets hit when he pauses to do it. Heal him when he gets knocked out or you will fail the fight. Merlin is outside of the battle field, still grumbling and struggling to free his foot.

MERLIN  
No, no, lads, you can handle this on your own!

The Shift prompt appears telling you to summon your Keyblade.

KAIRI  
Please work!

A chain whips down and Kairi automatically dodges the blow with a zip and spin, Keyblade in hand.

KAIRI  
Yah!

You can now block physical attacks and hit the core of the well. At some point, Kairi gets hit and blown back by a vicious counter-attack. She picks herself up and staggers. Lea appears in front of her super fast to block another chain attack with his Keyblade.

KAIRI  
Lea!

LEA  
You okay?

KAIRI  
You did it!

LEA  
No time to celebrate!

[Finish the fight.]

LEA  
Hey, Kairi!

You can activate a Team Attack. Lea jumps into the air, spins his Keyblade and shoots fireballs at the well; meanwhile Kairi uses the distraction to charge, lifting her Keyblade forward as she runs. Steam clouds form as the fire magic clashes with the well’s magic. Kairi jumps out of the haze and slashes down at the well, creating a bright gash of light. Then Lea lands, grabs her arm, and pulls her out of the way. They nod at each other and return to the fight.

[You win the fight.]

The well shakes and spouts old-fashioned expletives. It slowly turns back to normal, withdrawing its chains, freeing Merlin in the process.

Kairi and Lea catch their breath. They see Merlin. Kairi dismisses her Keyblade and runs to him. Lea follows.

KAIRI  
Merlin! Are you alright?

Merlin straightens his robe.

MERLIN  
Yes! Why, yes. I’m quite alright.  
Did you two just summon your Keyblades? Hm?

KAIRI  
Oh!

She holds out her hand to try it again, and it works. She looks amazed. Lea tries, too, looking doubtful; it works and he looks surprised.

LEA  
Huh.

Kairi grins.

KAIRI  
I guess, we did.  
_(to Lea)_  
Good job, Lea!

Lea smiles then stares a little too long and frowns. Kairi’s smile fades to a concerned expression. Lea looks away.

LEA  
Yeah, you did great!

Kairi looks like she wants to ask more, but she doesn’t.

MERLIN  
Well, I had no doubt you’d succeed in due course.  
That blasted old well does have its use, it seems.

The well whips at him again with its chain; Merlin yelps. He shakes in annoyance, then grabs his wand, pushes his sleeves up—uselessly as they are too large and flop back down—and steps to the well menacingly.

MERLIN  
Why, you…

LEA AND KAIRI  
Merlin, no!

They run to him to stop him. Doing so, they pass Heart-Diving Kairi and fade away. Kairi chuckles at the scene and smiles fondly.

She walks to the well, now alone in the area. Stopping next to it, she holds out her hand to lay it on the stone brink gently. The well gurgles. Kairi chuckles and pets it.

KAIRI  
I’m sorry it took Merlin so long to be nice to you. He is one grouchy old man.

THE GRUMPY WELL  
_(echoing a distorted Merlin voice)_  
Ugly, horrible, grouchy old man!

Kairi chuckles again.

She steps away and looks around, losing herself in her own thoughts. Her smile gradually fades away, and she looks more and more determined. She takes a breath and nods.

KAIRI  
Alright. I know where to go now.

The SAVE POINT can now take you [BACK TO THE HEART STATION]. You may stay or come back later to collect the rest of the Training Memories.

[I’m not done yet.]

[Return to the beginning of the chapter.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of lines in this chapter are from the original _The Sword in the Stone_ movie.
> 
> You might notice some elements from the original squirrel segment have been swept under the rug. That scene made me extremely uncomfortable as a child and furious as an adult; so I did something about it in this story. I'm calling this the KH Peter Pan treatment :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it! See you next time!


	4. Heart Station (2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretend you see a Radiant Garden Lab cut scene where they discuss technical stuff about the memory exploration procedure. I'm holding onto that scene until _Melody of Memory_ comes out so canon writes it for me.
> 
> Back to _Destati_ in your headphones and our story's "world map".

**HEART STATION**

Kairi steps away from a floating keyhole, back to the center of the stained-glass platform.

You can now make out Axel’s face in one of the five circles. The glass pieces are more or less jumbled depending on how many memories you’ve played through. Even if you’ve played through all there was to find so far, the current state of the puzzle hints that there’s more.

Kairi glances down to another circle.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Sora, I know you’re here.

The other circles are still empty and the sealed keyhole on the floor still glows. The distant light hasn’t changed.

There are now two more floating keyholes around the platform. When you walk close to one or the other, you can hear a line that gives a clue to what’s beyond. Once you select a destination, you can catch a glimpse of the world through the opening.

  * **The Secret Forest** — [“No more waiting for you to come back from your adventures.”]
  * [???](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66930733#PlayIslandStart) — [“I want to be a part of your life no matter what. That’s all.”]
  * [???](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66931171#HollowBastionStart) — [“This time, I’ll protect you.”]



You can come and go between worlds as you please as long as the worlds are unlocked. The game and story progression will encourage you to go back and forth between worlds to unlock all possible scenes.

[Choose a destination.]


	5. The Destiny Islands: Play Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Sora, don't ever change."_
> 
> — Kairi, _Kingdom Hearts_ , Play Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right-click to open official music links in new windows.
> 
> Flashback lines taken from the [Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix Script](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps3/684080-kingdom-hearts-hd-15-remix/faqs/68066) by DJ Firewolf.

**PLAY ISLAND – SEASHORE – SUNSET**

Kairi stands on the small island, her back to the paopu tree, facing the sunset. Profile shot of the lower half of her face—she brushes away a tear with the back of her hand, then she walks away. 

**Field theme:**["Kairi" by Yuki Kishida](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCQ2b5OWGMA)

You can explore the island. 

There is a bottle on the beach, with a letter inside. 

[Pick it up.] 

Kairi takes the letter out, glances at it, and pockets it. 

The title art appears:

**~ DESTINY ISLANDS ~**

[Obtained Secret Letter 2] 

Thinking of you, wherever you are.  
We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend.  
Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows:  
starting a new journey may not be so hard, or maybe it has already begun.  
There are many worlds, but they share the same sky — one sky, one destiny. 

—Kairi

_Dear Sora,_

_There was a time when you disappeared. From within me, from within everybody. Back then I vowed I would never go back to the Play Island until I could remember you. I thought, "This letter is where it starts." But my journey had already had many beginnings. How many beginnings and how many ends will we meet?_

_We saw you vanish from the paopu tree. I understand the choice you made to save me, and I cherish the moments we could share together. But I will not accept it._

_You haven’t vanished from our hearts this time. We all remember you. I remember you with all my heart. So there is hope._

_I will never forgive myself for not protecting you. For having been unable to protect myself and putting you through this, again. But I will try again. Please, don’t give up, Sora. I will find you. I will save you._

_It’s a promise._

—Kairi

SHIFTING will make ghost figures of Sora and Kairi appear sitting on the paopu tree (KH3 paopu scene, KH3 designs) and at the end of the dock (KH1 scene, KH1 designs). The memories are short-lived and quickly fade away as you approach: 

  * **KH3 memory:** You’ll see Sora and Kairi share the fruit on the paopu tree before they fade away. 
  * **KH1 memory:** Sora is sitting at the end of the dock; next to him, Kairi stands up and takes a look over at the ocean. Sora stares up at her:



KAIRI  
I just can’t wait. Once we set sail, it’ll be great.

You’ll find cards from the _Pomp & Circumstance_ side-quest in all the places where the supplies that Sora needed to find in KH1 (logs, cloth, rope) used to be. 

The save point is in the shed. No transitions to enter or exit. 

  * You can enter the **SECRET PLACE**
  * You can take the door to the **COVE**



**PLAY ISLAND – SECRET PLACE**

No Shift available. You may interact with the drawing of the star-crossed paopu puppy lovers. Kairi will touch it. 

You will notice Kairi automatically take a step away from the wooden door at the back, if you get close to it and try to interact with it. 

When you exit the cave, the field theme changes to a new "Destiny Islands" theme, calm like the _Birth by Sleep_ version.

**PLAY ISLAND – COVE – MORNING**

SHIFT: Two memories appear—you can still move and get closer to the ghost-like figures if you want to; these will eventually fade away: 

  * **Next to the door:** KH1 Kairi joins Riku and Sora. 



KAIRI  
You guys at it again? All right, I'll be the judge.  
The usual rules apply. Take any route you want...  
First one to tag that tree and make it back here wins. 

  * **Second part of the area, by the water:** KH1 Kairi is leaning against the mast of a raft, fiddling with something in her hands. Sora runs up to her:



SORA  
What’s this? 

KAIRI  
This? I’m making a necklace of thalassa shells. In the old days, sailors always wore thalassa shells. They were supposed to ensure a safe voyage. See?

She holds the unfinished star-shaped charm out to him.

KAIRI _(cont'd)_  
It’s a charm to help us find each other if we ever get separated. The three of us will always be together.

She places the Wayfinder in her pocket and straightens up while Sora hands her something.

The memory fades away.

You can use the zipline and jump on top of the palm trees. Touch the tree with the star-shaped crown at the back of the area and it will glow. 

You can hit the trees to make coconuts fall. The colored ones are Hi-Potions. You’ll find cards where the other KH1 provisions of the area used to be. 

Once you’ve interacted with the secret place drawing AND interacted with at least one element in the Cove, returning to the SEASHORE will trigger an automatic Shift to another memory plane. 

**PLAY ISLAND – SEASHORE – DAY**

**New field theme:** ["Destiny Islands" by Project Destati](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iddizU1Qqg) \- until 3:00

Kairi enters the area as a loud splash sounds, then a 7-year-old boy shouts. 

SORA  
Riku!

In the water, next to Sora, Riku laughs. 

SORA (cont’d)  
That’s cheating! 

RIKU  
No, it’s not! 

Sora launches himself at him and the pair splash into the water. Tidus emerges from the water near them with a loud gasp.

TIDUS  
I win! 

Wakka throws his blitz ball at them, hitting Tidus in the back of the head. 

TIDUS  
Hey! 

When we next see Kairi, she is 7 years old and in a swim suit under a white and purple T-shirt, standing in the shade of either the tree house or the door to the south-east beach, depending on where you come from. Selphie runs up to her. 

SELPHIE  
I told Wakka to make them stop their dumb game so you can play with us. 

Sora runs up to them, shaking the water out of his hair. 

SORA  
Hey, Kairi! You should ask my mom to teach you how to swim! 

Kairi shakes her head. Sora’s smile falters. 

SORA  
Why not? 

Kairi shakes her head again. 

KAIRI _(barely audible)_  
I don’t want to. 

Selphie puts her fists on her waist and glares at Sora. 

SELPHIE  
Are you done? 

Sora looks upset. But just then, Tidus jumps on his back and they both crash in the sand. 

SORA  
Waaaa!

Tidus doesn’t miss a beat. He picks himself up. 

TIDUS  
Hey, I’ve got an idea! Let’s play hide and seek! What do you say? 

You can now play as 7YO-Kairi. 

Talk to SELPHIE  
Hide-and-seek sounds fun! What do you say? 

Talk to SORA  
I’m sorry, Kairi. I didn’t mean to upset you. 

Riku is close to the water with Wakka. Talk to Riku: 

RIKU (smug)  
I didn’t cheat. We just started a staring contest and he laughed!

Kairi giggles. 

Talk to Wakka:

WAKKA  
I wish you’d learn how to swim soon. We’d have two Blitzball teams! You’d make a real good goalie! 

KAIRI  
Sorry… 

[Talk to TIDUS to start the mini-game.]

**HIDE-AND-SEEK**

TIDUS  
So the rules are simple. Two teams… 

SELPHIE & SORA  
I’m captain! 

TIDUS  
Ugh! Fine! But only for this round! So… two teams, two captains. The first captain to find the missing two of the other team wins. Then we switch it up. You can change hiding spots, as long as no one catches you! 

[ _You can choose the teams and set the captain’s countdown to 10, 15, 20 or 25 seconds. You’ll be able to make Kairi the captain after this first try. When Kairi is the captain of her team, it’s a race against the other captain to find the others. When Kairi hides, it’s a stealth game. Note that Kairi is a slow runner compared to the others._ ]

**Mini-game theme:** [Take your pick! See end notes for suggestions.]

During the first game, you’ll suddenly hear a sharp whistle and one of the boys who isn’t on Tidus’s team will yell, “HEY! That’s not in the rules!” 

The game stops and the kids gather round. Join the group to see what’s going on. 

TIDUS  
It’s not against the rules… We should totally make it part of the game! 

SELPHIE  
Hmm… 

Riku or Wakka folds his arms and thinks. 

KAIRI  
What happened? 

WAKKA or RIKU  
Tidus whistled to give away [ONE OF THE BOYS]’ hiding spot. It’s actually not a bad idea! 

SELPHIE  
It does sound fun. What do you think? 

Sora and Kairi nod. 

SORA  
But wait! I don’t know how to whistle! 

TIDUS  
No problem! It’s easy! Watch. Put your… fingers… in your mouth like… this. 

The others try to mimic him. 

TIDUS  
Uh-uh, not like that. Like this. _(Nods.)_ Then, you just blow! 

He whistles. The others give it a try, more or less successfully. Tidus cackles. 

TIDUS  
Come on! It’s not that hard! 

He whistles again. This could go on a while. They all get better at it. Even Kairi manages a whistle or two. She’s really not as bad as Sora. 

RIKU  
I say anything counts. As long as you don’t get caught. 

SELPHIE  
Just no pushing, guys! Or my jump rope’s allowed and then you’ll be sorry! 

Sora shakes his head and nods seriously along with the exchange. 

WAKKA  
Alright, let’s start over. 

[Pick the team. You can be captain. You can now press X at any time during the game (keep it pressed down for 1 second) to whistle and draw the attention of the captains.] 

Tidus keeps score: 

TIDUS  
That’s 1 point for [X], 0 for [Y], -1 for [Z]… 

After the first game, though, he adds: 

TIDUS  
Kairi, you should write that down. Do you have your notebook? 

KAIRI _(nods)_  
Uh-uh. 

TIDUS  
Awesome!

Talk to Tidus:

TIDUS  
Want to play again? Or do you want to play something else? I've got another idea. 

[Let’s play hide-and-seek!] / [What is it?]

Talk to SELPHIE, WAKKA, or RIKU, to play different games, or talk to Sora, who is standing a little way apart from everyone else.

**TALK TO SORA**

Sora is standing a little way apart, practicing his whistles and failing miserably: Kairi giggles. 

SORA  
Hey! I’m trying! 

KAIRI  
Not like that. Look. 

She helps reposition his fingers. It’s better. Not perfect, but better. 

SORA  
Right. Thanks. I’ll practice. 

Talk to SORA again: 

SORA  
It’s still hard! 

KAIRI  
Hmm… maybe try with both hands? 

SORA  
How do you mean? 

KAIRI  
Like this. 

She shows him how to whistle with two fingers of each hand in her mouth. She fails her demo and giggles, but Sora tries and succeeds. 

SORA  
Yeah! Thanks, Kairi! 

You can leave the world through the SAVE POINT and/or Shift back to Heart-Diving!Kairi at any time.

[SHIFT] Kid!Kairi stays on the beach while the others disappear. She walks to the edge of the water and stays there, taking off her shoes and cautiously taking a few steps forward, testing the waters and looking for shells. She fades away after a while, and reappears when you hold the Shift to go back to the childhood memories. 

You can try to swim. HD!Kairi can swim. If you go far enough, the water gets deep enough to dive below the surface. There is a _Sword in the Stone_ PAGE at the bottom of the stretch of water between the Seashore beach and the Main Island. You can’t cross the middle line to the other shore. Instead, reaching that point will trigger a FLASHBACK. Kairi turns towards the small island with the paopu tree. 

**FLASHBACK**

Sora’s mother is sitting on the rocks underneath the paopu tree, with a good view of both the water and the beach where the kids are playing. You can never see the upper half of her face. 

Kairi walks up to her. 

KAIRI  
[ ]

Sora’s mother turns around. 

SORA’S MOM  
Is something wrong? 

Kairi shakes her head. 

KAIRI  
Uh-uh. It’s just… Can you teach me how to swim? 

Sora’s mom smiles. 

SORA’S MOM  
See? I told you you’d know when you’re ready. You’re not scared anymore? 

Kairi nods timidly. 

KAIRI  
I’m still a little scared. But I want to try. 

She holds her head down a little, but she looks determined. 

Sora’s mom looks ready to get up. 

SORA’S MOM  
Right now, then? 

KAIRI  
Um… 

**END FLASHBACK**

Back to Kairi in the sea, looking at the small island. Sora’s mom gets up from her spot and fades away. You can now Shift in the water and swim as a 7-year-old.

[Back to the kids for more games.]

[I've played them all.]

**THE OTHER MINI-GAMES**

**TALK TO RIKU**

RIKU  
I don’t think Sora likes hide-and-seek. We should play something else. 

KAIRI  
Oh? 

RIKU  
Got any ideas? 

KAIRI  
Maybe a race? 

RIKU _(doubtful)_  
You think? 

KAIRI  
Hmm, I'm not sure.

| 

KAIRI  
Yeah! Why not?  
  
---|---  
  
RIKU  
Maybe later, then.

| 

RIKU  
Hey, Sora! Wanna race?  
  
KAIRI  
'kay.

| 

SORA  
Sure!  
  
**RACE**

Kairi is so slow that you will inevitably lose the first round. The group wonders if she should be the judge instead. She says it’s okay and that she wants to get better.

SORA  
But it's no fun if we can't all play!

 **THE "IMPROVED" RACE**

They turn the game into a Blindman’s bluff style race, in relay teams. It's stupid complicated:

  * The first player wears a blindfold. Their movement controls are reversed like with the Confuse status effect. The fewer steps you make, the higher your score. Since Kairi is slower than the others, your chance of making unnecessary steps with her is reduced. The command menu has the names of all the non-blindfolded characters and is scrambled. Hit your teammate's name to make them whistle, which will draw the first character's attention to the right direction. Be careful not to hit an opponent's whistle command. When you get to the second character, hit ∆ to give them a high-five.
  * Dash to the third teammate as the second character; hit the relay mark at the right time so the third teammate can then run back to the start-line, avoiding the other kids on the way.



The kids flop down in the sand.

SORA  
I'm dizzy!

TIDUS  
This is stupid. Let's just play sword fight!

WAKKA  
Not now. I'm gonna throw up...

[Back to the kids to play a different game]

**TALK TO SELPHIE**

SELPHIE  
This hide-and-seek is fun! I think I’m getting the hang of it! 

KAIRI  
Yes! 

SELPHIE  
Wanna play something else? 

KAIRI  
What if we played a jump rope game? 

SELPHIE  
Like wha—oh yes!! Hey guys! 

The boys gather round. Selphie whips out her rope. 

SELPHIE  
Wanna find out who’s the best at jump rope?

KAIRI  
I think I saw a longer rope on the platform! 

SELPHIE  
Alright, go get it while I tell them the rules! 

SORA  
I’ll go with you! 

KAIRI  
Thanks, Sora! 

SORA  
No problem! 

Go grab the rope on the platform on the left side of the island. Sora tags along. 

KAIRI  
I think this’ll do. 

Bring it back to Selphie. The following lines are said while you move across the island. 

SORA  
Hey let’s team up, you, me and Riku. I’m sure we can beat Selphie! 

KAIRI  
You think? 

SORA  
Yeah!

KAIRI  
Who’s jumping then? 

SORA  
Let’s take turns? 

KAIRI  
Alright. But let’s practice first!  
And if you suck, I’m changing partners! 

SORA  
We won’t! 

Give the rope to Selphie. 

SELPHIE  
Ready to play? 

KAIRI  
[Just a minute.] / **[Let’s do it!]**

**JUMP ROPE MINI-GAME:** This works like the _FF7 Remake_ work-out mini-games. The point is to coordinate the team of two kids turning the rope while the third kid jumps. 

Riku won’t jump on the first try. 

RIKU  
No, you go first. 

Pick either Kairi or Sora to jump for the practice round. 

Make the most jumps within 45 seconds. Unlike the FF7R games, it’s not a battle—unless you are playing the MULTIPLAYER MODE :D… There is only one team on screen at a time, trying to get as many jumps as possible. Kairi keeps track of everyone’s and every team combination’s scores in her notebook. You can mix and match the teams. SRK and TWS are the default/easy mode, but you can switch up who jumps. Other character combinations increase difficulty. 

SORA  
Yeah!  
We make a good team! 

Riku and Kairi tentatively smile and nod at each other. 

If you underperform, Sora is disappointed, Riku crosses his arms and pretends he doesn’t care, Kairi frowns. 

SORA  
Aw man… 

If SORA was jumping:

RIKU  
Come on Sora, you’re not giving up, are you? 

KAIRI  
We can do better! 

If KAIRI was jumping:

RIKU  
It’s okay. We can do better.

KAIRI  
I can definitely do better! 

If RIKU was jumping:

RIKU  
You did it wrong.

SORA  
What? 

KAIRI  
Hey! 

You can do tricks to increase your score; if you don’t stick your landing you’ll be called a show off. Each kid has their own trick.

[Back to the kids to play a different game]

**TALK TO WAKKA**

WAKKA  
Hey, Kairi! I know you don’t like to play in the water, but you should really try Blitzball! We stay where it’s not too deep, so it’s safe. But we can play it on the beach if you’d like! It just hurts less when you fall in the water. 

KAIRI  
Um… What are the rules? 

**BLITZBALL:** Haphazard handball in shallow waters. Three against three. You play all three kids in your chosen team. This mini-game’s mechanic toys with the Shotlock mechanic and Reaction Commands to shoot, pass and catch the ball. There are also special moves you can make that work like Tidus, Wakka and Lulu’s FFX overdrive commands.

As promised, the tutorial round happens on the beach. Then, you can choose to play in the water. If you do, there are more moves you can do. You can also hit the water with the attack button to splash water in the face of the other kids. 

Tidus whistles to cheer you on when you make a perfect hit. 

[Back to the kids to play a different game]

**TIDUS’S NEW IDEA**

TIDUS  
I've got the best idea.

 **Water Struggle.** In pairs, piggyback, you have to make the other two pairs stagger and fall. The toy swords are Struggle bats and not the KH1 wooden swords. One button is the attack button for the kid on top, another button controls the other. You can parry by attacking at the right time. Selphie and Kairi can team up, Tidus can climb on Selphie’s back and Sora on Kairi’s—it just increases the balance difficulty—but Kairi can’t carry Riku. The highest difficulty is Kairi+Tidus VS. Sora+Riku & Selphie+Wakka. Easy victory is Kairi+Riku.

**Noticeable changes:**

  * Sora+Riku (win): Riku smirks and looks happily up at Sora, who is cheering on his back. 
  * Sora+Riku (lose): Sora (Aw…). Riku makes sure Sora is okay, but he's fine. 
  * Sora+Kairi (win): Sora and Kairi whoop and cheer, then fall and laugh. Riku huffs. 
  * Sora+Kairi (lose): Sora (Aw…). Kairi looks a little shaken by the fall. Riku looks at them and says nothing. 
  * Kairi+Riku (win): Kairi whoops and cheers (We did it!) or (We did it!) and whistles. Riku grins. Sora grins (Way to go, guys!) 
  * Kairi+Riku (lose): Kairi (Ouch!). Riku (Are you okay?). Kairi (Y-yes… Sorry.) Riku (It’s my fault. Let’s do better next time.) Kairi (Yes.) 
  * Kairi+Any (win): whoops and cheers 
  * Kairi+Any (lose): Either “Aw…” or “Ouch!” 



[Back to the kids to play a different game]

**PLAY ISLAND – SEASHORE – RESOLUTION SCENE**

When you’ve tried all mini-games at least once, there is a new figure sitting in front of the paopu tree when you play default HD!Kairi on the Seashore. Get closer and Shift to her heart: 

**CUT SCENE**

Long-haired Kairi (KH2 design) is sitting at the foot of the paopu tree, hugging her knees, face buried in her arms. 

The sound of footsteps behind her make her look up and around. She unfolds in surprise. 

KAIRI  
Riku! 

Riku (DDD-ending design) stops as she gets up. 

RIKU  
Selphie said you’d be here. 

Kairi looks embarrassed by that. 

KAIRI  
Oh… 

She quickly recovers. 

KAIRI  
How are you? Where’s Sora? 

Riku pauses to scratch his head. 

RIKU  
Well…

KAIRI  
Riku…

RIKU  
It’s kind of a long story. 

She glares. 

RIKU _(cont’d)_  
He’s fine! I mean… 

KAIRI  
What aren’t you telling me? 

RIKU  
He’s fine. He left just before I did—but I don’t know where he is. He said there was something he wanted to do on his own. 

Kairi thinks this piece of information over silently. Riku looks uneasy. 

RIKU _(cont’d)_  
And I was sent to get you. 

A beat, then Kairi realizes what he’s just said. 

KAIRI  
Me? 

Riku smiles softly.

RIKU  
Yeah.

KAIRI  
What can I do? 

RIKU  
Master Yen Sid didn’t say… I guess… you can ask him yourself. 

Knowing glint in Riku’s eye; knowing smile. Kairi beams. 

KAIRI  
Alright.

Back to looking serious. 

KAIRI _(cont’d)_  
You’ll have to bring me up to speed, though.  
And don’t think I can’t handle the whole truth. 

RIKU  
No, I know you can. I’ll tell you on the way.

Kairi nods. 

KAIRI  
Alright. Let me say goodbye, and we can go. 

They share a look of understanding and nod. 

They make their way to the dock, hopping off the bridge one after the other. 

KAIRI _(voice over)_  
Dear Sora, I hope I get to see you soon. Something about this tells me our journey is far from over. Riku and I are worried about you. This isn’t like you, leaving alone. For now, we have to trust you. We do. We both know how strong you are. But please, please remember, you don’t have to ever be alone. 

— 

[Back to Heart Station]

**PLAY ISLAND – SEASHORE**

[Back to the kids for more games.]

**HEART STATION – UPDATED**

No new face has appeared on Kairi’s Heart Station. The pieces on one of the blank circles have shifted a little.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Where are you, Sora?

There still are three keyholes around the Station:

  * [[Secret Forest – Updated with Missing Page side-quest]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/73322253)
  * [Destiny Islands – Returning]
  * [[Radiant Garden – First Visit]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66931171#HollowBastionStart) / [[Radiant Garden – Returning]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66931171#PostRG1)



[Back to the beginning of the chapter]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Suggested mini-game themes:**  
>  \- "Destiny Islands" by Project Destati, after the change of pace at 3:00  
> \- KH1 "Destiny Islands" theme (not the Final Mix version)  
> \- "Besaid Island" theme from FFX (not remastered)  
> \- "Luca" theme from FFX (not remastered)  
> \- "Visions of Johanna" by Bob Dylan (don't ask)
> 
> If some of Tidus's lines sound familiar, it's because they're lifted from FFX :)


	6. Hollow Bastion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“This time, I’ll protect you.”_
> 
> – Kairi, _Kingdom Hearts_ , Hollow Bastion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am hugely indebted to the wonderful people who have provided and/or imagined maps of this world that still has so many hidden layers to unfold. Here are my main references for [Hollow Bastion](https://kh-discussions.livejournal.com/566.html) and [Radiant Garden](https://hanyounomiko.tumblr.com/post/115084367042/radiant-garden-map-and-theories). Other sources include [KHWiki](https://www.khwiki.com/images/e/e5/Minimap_%28Radiant_Garden%29_KHBBS.png), 13th Vessel’s [Out of Bounds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtHOC5Fk6pc) videos, a number of [BBS](https://youtu.be/liEG35pYuBs?t=1652) and KH2FM playthrough videos, and, of course, my own experience of the games.
> 
> When there are flashbacks, I transcribed the canon game lines while watching and studying the original scenes. In subsequent chapters, I've used game scripts that I will credit.
> 
> Enjoy!

**HOLLOW BASTION – ENTRANCE HALL – DAY**

Kairi walks to the center of the Entrance Hall and looks around. The camera pans around Kairi, then around the area, from the ground floor to the balconies overhead. The KH1 field theme plays while we take in the scene.

Kairi stares at the archway to the Heartless Door up the stairs, reminiscing.

KAIRI _(whispers to herself)_  
I can’t leave them behind.

She turns around to face the main doors.

KAIRI  
Sora… This is where I saved you.

If you hold the Shift in the Hall, a ghost image of Kairi protecting Heartless!Sora appears.

The main doors can’t be opened. The way through to the Heartless Door is blocked by shadow. The small platforms to the balconies aren’t moving. If you have completed all the [Missing Page #2 mini-games](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66625834#LawsOfNature), you have the necessary abilities to reach the upper area: use Gravity magic to activate the small moving platforms, Squirrel form to climb up walls and pillars, and Air Slide to cover a little more distance when you jump.

You can ENTER THE LIBRARY from upstairs or downstairs.

**HOLLOW BASTION – LIBRARY – DAY**

The light from the tall windows falls in warm stripes across the far corner behind the stairs.

As Heart-Diving!Kairi, you can explore the room, move a couple of bookshelves around by rearranging books. The secret passage upstairs is just a blank stone wall. Nothing much happens. 

[Shift]

You now play as 4-year-old!Kairi. She is too short and small to push the doors back out of the room on her own. Her grandmother’s story starts right away, off screen or on screen depending on where you are situated in the room. You can join her where she is sitting under the stairs.

[[Watch the monologue]](https://youtu.be/TNKo4jL6reU?t=226)

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people’s hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived… in the hearts of children. With these fragments of lights, children rebuilt the lost world. It’s the world we live in ow. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That’s why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. So, listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, Kairi?

On cue, a brief flash turns Kairi’s attention to something invisible floating between two bookshelves near the windows. Then it's over. 

As 4-year-old!Kairi, you can play with the spinning column on the ground floor to get a chest. You cannot move the bookshelves around. The secret passage upstairs is hidden behind library shelves.

[Grab Grandma’s hand to get out of the Library.]

**HOLLOW BASTION – ENTRANCE HALL – DAY**

Kairi lets go of her grandmother's hand and trots to the fountain.

[Go to the Heartless Door.]

[Go to the Main Door.]

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
They are busy, Kairi.

Go back to Grandma.

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
Do you want to go outside?

[Yes] / [No]

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
Alright.

She takes Kairi’s hand and they leave the Castle.

**RADIANT GARDEN – CENTRAL SQUARE – DAY**

HD-Kairi climbs up the stairs from the Radiant Garden Entryway onto the CENTRAL SQUARE. She spots the Castle straight ahead and frowns in confusion. She looks behind her and then again towards the castle. As the camera pans from the castle gate, up the stairs, to the towers in the sky, the title art appears:

**~ RADIANT GARDEN ~**

4-year-old Kairi and her grandmother are nowhere to be seen. Shifting creates a distortion as if the process were halted midway; it won’t hold.

KAIRI _(thinking as you move around)_  
This feeling I got when I first set foot in this town…

A chest gives you a map of the world for your journal and makes the mini-map appear. The map in the journal will draw itself as you progress. For now it just looks like a faded sketch of one of Axel’s chakrams.

There are four directions that you can take:

  * Back down the steps to the ENTRYWAY
  * A street to the right to CASTLE TOWN
  * A street to the left to the GARDENS
  * The gate straight ahead, behind which a stone stairway leads to the CASTLE



**RADIANT GARDEN – ENTRYWAY**

There is a save point, like in BBS. However, the camera blocks the way to the OUTER GARDENS.

[Back to Central Square.]

**CASTLE GATE ON CENTRAL SQUARE**

The gate is locked. The flash of a vision makes Kairi jump: her own, tiny kid’s arms grabbing the bars and pulling, but the gate won’t budge.

Nightmares spawn. Clear the area before you can go anywhere else.

[Back to Central Square.]

**STREET TO THE GARDENS**

The street is flooded in white mist. Shifting gives you a first-person camera view and you can painstakingly try to make your way forward, hack at it, until the mist inevitably pushes you back out.

[Back to Central Square.]

**STREET TO CASTLE TOWN**

The street is hazy. Shifting gives you a first-person camera view and you can see 4-year-old Kairi dragging her grandmother by the hand excitedly. You have to manually hold the Shift command and walk on to break through the haze.

[Hold the Shift to reach Castle Town.]

[Back to Central Square.]

**RADIANT GARDEN – CASTLE TOWN – DAY**

4-year-old-Kairi trots to the Moogle shop. Grandmother slowly makes her way to the shop and waits in line. There are two other NPCs in line before her.

[Talk to 4YO-Kairi] She either crosses her fingers behind her back and smiles at her older self, or stares at her in confusion.

[SHIFT to 4YO!Kairi.]

[Talk to Kairi’s grandmother] She doesn’t react or see HD!Kairi.

[Back to Central Square.]

[Try to enter MERLIN’S HOUSE.]

[Take the Northern street to ???]

**RADIANT GARDEN – CENTRAL SQUARE**

There are three directions that you can take:

  * Down the steps to the ENTRYWAY
  * Back to CASTLE TOWN. The streets are now cleared. 
  * A street to the left to the GARDENS



Touching the Castle Gate triggers a sound effect with a short flash. Nightmares spawn.

**RADIANT GARDEN – ENTRYWAY**

There is a save point, like in BBS. However, the camera blocks the way to the OUTER GARDENS.

[Back to Central Square.]

**STREET TO THE GARDENS**

The street is flooded in white mist. Shifting gives you a first-person camera view and you can painstakingly try to make your way forward, hack at it, until the mist inevitably pushes you back out.

[Back to Central Square.]

**MERLIN’S HOUSE**

The room is in its Limitcut design. No one’s home.

As Kairi looks around, someone enters.

MERLIN  
Don’t mind this huge machine, over there.  
It completely ruins the atmosphere, I know…

KAIRI  
Merlin!

MERLIN  
Hello there, Kairi.

KAIRI  
What memory is this? This can’t be from when I was little. 

MERLIN  
It doesn’t seem like it, does it?

KAIRI  
Have we met before? When I lived here?

MERLIN  
If we did, I don’t remember, child. But I have had a house in this world for a very long time.

KAIRI  
I wish I could remember more.

MERLIN  
All in due time. You can’t teach history in reverse, is what Archimedes used to say.

KAIRI  
Where _is_ Archimedes?

Merlin pauses.

MERLIN  
Where is he indeed…

Kairi seems about to press the issue, then decides against it.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
He never did leave the house…

MERLIN  
If you need anything, help yourself. Think of this as your second home.

KAIRI  
Thank you, Merlin.

The usual supplies are available near the fireplace behind the big chair.

There is a DESK behind the black board. It is empty.

MERLIN _(if you talk to him)_  
If it’s the book you’re here for, I placed it over on the desk.

[SHIFT]

Nothing happens.

There is no book on the desk.

[Exit Merlin’s House.]

**RADIANT GARDEN – CASTLE TOWN – MEMORY PLANE**

Shifting makes HD!Kairi and her Dream Eater disappear and you can control 4-year-old!Kairi. As a child, you may:

  * [Try to enter MERLIN’S HOUSE]
  * [Try to take the Northern street to ???]
  * [Try to go back to CENTRAL SQUARE.]
  * [SHIFT back to Heart-Diving!Kairi.]



**[Try to enter MERLIN’S HOUSE]**

KAIRI’S GRANDMOTHER  
Kairi! Stay with me.

[Go back.]

**[Try to take the northern street to ???]**

KAIRI’S GRANDMOTHER  
Kairi!

Kairi stops and trots back obediently. As she does so, teenagers Lea and Isa enter the area from that street. Lea looks at the waiting line in front of the shop.

LEA  
Aw, man…

The boys get in line. They fade away from the scene if you Shift back to HD!Kairi but reappear where they were when you are the child.

[Talk to Isa]

[Talk to Lea]

[Try to enter MERLIN’S HOUSE]

[Try to go to CENTRAL SQUARE]

[SHIFT back to Heart-Diving!Kairi]

**[Talk to Isa]**

Isa stares down at you, then ignores you, fiddling with the stud on his right ear, his other arm crossed over his chest. Kairi trots a couple steps away, intimidated.

**[Talk to Lea]**

Something catches his attention before he sees you and he runs to it, away from you. If you keep on trying, eventually, he’ll notice you and laugh, pick you up and put you back down, just a foot away, to send you on your way.

LEA  
Stop following me around, little Moogle! I’m busy!

If you try talking to him again:

KAIRI’S GRANDMOTHER  
Kairi, leave the boy alone.

KAIRI  
Yes, grandma…

**[Try to enter MERLIN’S HOUSE]**

KAIRI’S GRANDMOTHER  
Kairi! Stay with me.

[Go back.]

**CENTRAL SQUARE – MEMORY PLANE**

Shadow Heartless spawn and attack 4YO!Kairi. You can run and dodge—Kairi makes a small jump to the side—, but you are otherwise powerless. The Shadow Heartless block your way back to Castle Town; the gate is still locked, and there are too many near the Entryway to go that way.

[Escape through the Eastern street!]

4YO!Kairi’s HP drops fast. You can Shift back to HD!Kairi to fight the enemies off: the Shadows turn into Nightmares and you have to clear the area before you are able to go back to Castle Town or out to the Entryway to save and restore your health. To Shift to 4YO!Kairi and try again, you need to be near one of the other three doors to the square with the area cleared of enemies, or in Castle Town, which is a safe zone.

If you successfully dodge the Heartless and manage to get to the misty street as 4YO!Kairi, you’ll be able to run through the mist into the Eastern Streets. The small residential area, quiet and empty, leads to a fortification wall, with a door to the GARDENS.

**Game over screen:** 4YO!Kairi screams and crouches into a ball, hiding her head in her arms, as the surroundings turn pitch black. There is no heart floating over her body.

**GARDENS – MEMORY PLANE – DAY**

You cannot Shift back to HD!Kairi. You can explore the lower area peacefully and pick flowers (5 flowers max on Normal mode, 2 max on Hard mode), but UNVERSED spawn as you climb to the upper area. There are too many to consider going to the door to the REACTOR, which is closed anyway. You can run, dodge, and hide behind trees and bushes for a short respite. If the Unversed hit you while you are holding flowers, you get dealt only half the damage and Kairi drops the flowers. You can pick your bouquet up where it fell as long as there are flowers left in it—you lose one flower after each hit. The gate to the castle FRONT DOORS is open.

**Game over scene:** Kairi wakes up in the lab with a gasp and a violent start, holding her hand over heart. Fade back to black with the options: [Retry] [Load]

**RADIANT GARDEN CASTLE – FRONT DOORS – DAY**

There is one more flower you can pick at the bottom of the stairs.

There is a blue flowerbed at the top of the stairs, to the left of the FRONT DOORS. As you run closer to it, you forcibly Shift out to Heart-Diving Kairi for a CUTSCENE. Kairi stops and watches her 4-year-old self crouch to pick the flower.

Unversed spawn to the sides of the platform. 4YO-Kairi screams, making HD-Kairi flinch and hold her head in pain. 4YO-Kairi sprints across the platform. Heart-Diving Kairi spins around in her direction.

AQUA _(off screen)_  
No! Run!

Heart-Diving Kairi turns in the direction of the voice, but there’s nothing to see. More night-blue Unversed spawn between the right wall and 4YO-Kairi.

AQUA _(off screen, matching Kairi’s expression)_  
There’s no way I can fight like this!

[Clear the area and protect 4YO-Kairi.]

Your companion Dream Eater stays close to 4YO-Kairi and takes the damage in her place. [Link Block tutorial: Press [Square] just before your Spirit gets hit to warp in front of it, block the attack, and charge the Spirit's Link Gauge.]

MICKEY _(off screen)_  
Hurry! Ya gotta get that girl to someplace that’s safe!

KAIRI  
King Mickey?

A Ghost Aqua runs across the screen, picking 4YO-Kairi up and taking her down the stairs.

KAIRI  
Aqua!

Kairi grabs her head in sudden pain and falls to her knees. The scene distorts briefly.

Aqua kneels next to her with a hand on her shoulder.

AQUA  
Is everything all right?

Kairi looks up.

KAIRI  
I... I remember you now.

Aqua nods and stands. Kairi stands too.

Unversed and Nightmares spawn. Mickey appears and joins the team.

MICKEY  
Let’s get ‘em!

AQUA & KAIRI  
Right!

[Fight the enemies alongside Aqua.]

MICKEY _(opening battle quote)_  
Let’s join forces!

Shift-in-Battle here allows you to play as Aqua or Kairi. Aqua deals greater damage to the Unversed and Kairi deals greater damage to the Nightmares. Mickey is pretty inefficient—he parries a couple of attacks and quickly turns into a small blue light…

MICKEY  
Oh no, not now!

… that zips around the area dealing damage to whatever it hits before disappearing.

MICKEY  
See ya real sooooon!

During the fight you’ll sometimes hear voices from memory, drifting over the battle music and sounds:

MEMORY VOICE: AQUA  
I sense light within this girl. You think that’s why they attacked her?

MEMORY VOICE: AQUA  
Yes. I’m quite certain she’s someone we’re supposed to protect.

Aqua and Kairi have a **Team Attack:** Aqua and Kairi get back to back in their respective fighting stances. Kairi straightens up and her free hand touches the handle of Aqua’s Keyblade behind her. Then they both perform a horizontal slash—Aqua one-handed in her own style, Kairi holding her own Keyblade with both hands—which creates a powerful circle of light that bursts outwards across the area. Then they turn to face each other, press their free hands together, and a powerful light flashes and stuns the remaining enemies.

AQUA (Team Attack line)  
I can feel the light.

KAIRI (Team Attack line – 2nd time)  
I can feel the light.

AQUA (Team Attack line – 3rd time)  
I guess it must’ve worked—

When you win the fight, you see the usual KH slow motion, blurring animation: 

MEMORY VOICE: KAIRI  
I’m sorry. Those days are hazy for me…

Fade to black. Kairi’s line continues while the screen is black:

MEMORY VOICE: KAIRI _(cont’d)_  
…But it sounds like I’d have been in trouble without you. So, thank you.

MEMORY VOICE: AQUA  
Please. 

Kairi blinks and it’s broad daylight again.

MEMORY VOICE: AQUA _(cont’d)_  
You were really, very little. Anyone would forget, hazy memory or not.

A few steps away from Kairi, her 4-year-old self approaches Aqua, holding a bunch of flowers.

_[You get a trophy if you got through the Memory Plane segment with 4 flowers.]_

[[Watch BBS flashback]](https://youtu.be/liEG35pYuBs?t=622)

[Skip BBS flashback]

4YO-KAIRI  
Here!

AQUA  
Are these for me?

4YO-KAIRI  
I picked you some flowers. Thank you for saving me.

AQUA  
Oh, they’re lovely. You’re so sweet.

4YO-KAIRI  
My name’s Kairi. Nice to meet you!

AQUA  
Nice to meet you too. I’m Aqua.  
Kairi, about that light—

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
Kairi!

KAIRI  
Oh! Grandma!

AQUA  
Wait, Kairi, just a minute…

Aqua touches 4YO-Kairi’s pendant. HD-Kairi reflexively touches her own.

AQUA  
I just cast a magic spell on you. One day when you’re in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another. Someone to keep you safe.

KAIRI  
Thanks!

4YO-Kairi trots back to her grandmother.

KAIRI’S GRANDMA  
There you are. It’s time to go.

KAIRI  
‘Kay!  
Oh… 

She turns around to wave at Aqua.

KAIRI  
Bye!

Aqua waves back, smiling.

MEMORY VOICE: AQUA  
I guess it must’ve worked—the spell that I cast on you.

Kairi looks down at her Keyblade. There is a FLASH of 4YO-Kairi touching Aqua’s Keyblade in _Birth By Sleep_. The child and the grandmother walk away. Aqua stands.

**[Obtained Rainfell Keychain.]**

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Master Aqua, I owe you so much…

The child and the grandmother are gone. Aqua stands there, holding the flowers. If you get close to her, she fades away. She fades back in as you move away.

The FRONT DOORS are closed. There’s nothing else to see. You can pick a blue flower in the flower bed and get a BLUE FLOWER. It’ll work like a KH3 Kupo Coin.

There are THREE GATES at the bottom of the stairs:

  * the one to the right leads back to the GARDENS, which you can explore normally with only Nightmares spawning;
  * the front gate leads down to CENTRAL SQUARE, but it’s locked;
  * the one to the left can be UNLOCKED, but not pushed open.



[Back through the Gardens]

**RETRACE YOUR STEPS**

In the GARDENS, the door to the REACTOR gets hazy the closer you get to it, and a ridiculous amount of Nightmares spawn until you give up and go away.

The Eastern Street between the GARDENS and CENTRAL SQUARE is now cleared of any mist for both Heart-Diving!Kairi and 4YO!Kairi.

Crossing CENTRAL SQUARE as 4YO!Kairi will not have you dodge Heartless in the same way as before: only one or two will spawn if you touch the CASTLE GATE, but a lot more will creep up from the stairs to the ENTRYWAY if you get near it, forcing you to Shift back to HD!Kairi to clear the way.

[To Entryway]

[To Castle Town]

**RADIANT GARDEN – ENTRYWAY AND OUTER GARDENS**

As Heart-Diving!Kairi, you can now go through the ENTRYWAY to the OUTER GARDENS. Nightmares spawn in the area and there are two chests, but it is otherwise just vast and empty.

You can step off the cobblestone path and run in the flower beds—your steps will make a patch of dandelions rustle, and the seeds will fly away in the wind.

The door to the purification facility is sealed and unremarkable.

[Return to Central Square]

**BACK TO CASTLE TOWN**

The area is deserted. You can buy items at the Moogle shop or enter Merlin’s house. You can also try taking the Northern street.

Shifting to 4YO!Kairi is uneventful. It’s just a switch in models and abilities.

[Merlin’s house: 1st visit.]

[Merlin’s house: 2nd visit.]

[Take the Northern street to ???]

**MERLIN’S HOUSE**

The room is in its Limitcut design. No one’s home.

As Kairi looks around, someone enters.

MERLIN  
Don’t mind this huge machine, over there.  
It completely ruins the atmosphere, I know…

KAIRI  
Merlin!

MERLIN  
Hello there, Kairi.

KAIRI  
What memory is this? This can’t be from when I was little. 

MERLIN  
It doesn’t seem like it, does it?

KAIRI  
Have we met before? When I lived here?

MERLIN  
If we did, I don’t remember, child. But I have had a house in this world for a very long time.

KAIRI  
I wish I could remember more.

MERLIN  
All in due time. You can’t teach history in reverse, is what Archimedes used to say.

KAIRI  
Where _is_ Archimedes?

Merlin pauses.

MERLIN  
Where is he indeed…

Kairi seems about to press the issue, then decides against it.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
He never did leave the house…

MERLIN  
If you need anything, help yourself. Think of this as your second home.

KAIRI  
Thank you. Merlin.

The usual supplies are available near the fireplace behind the big chair.

There is a DESK behind the black board. It is empty.

MERLIN _(if you talk to him)_  
If it’s the book you’re here for, I placed it over on the desk.

[SHIFT]

Nothing happens.

No book on the desk.

[Exit Merlin’s House.]

**MERLIN’S HOUSE**

Nothing's changed in the room. Merlin has the same two lines when you talk to him.

MERLIN  
If you need anything, help yourself. Think of this as your second home.

MERLIN  
If it’s the book you’re here for, I placed it over on the desk.

The DESK is still empty.

[Exit Merlin’s House.]

Kairi enters the northern street, prompting an old-gen FADE TO BLACK.

**RADIANT GARDEN – MARKETPLACE – DAY**

Kairi looks back in confusion as her steps take her much higher up than she should be, like an area was skipped. She has reached the top of a long flight of stairs and now has a broad view of the town below. It is present-day Radiant Garden, as designed in KH2FM. The MARKETPLACE is a nicer version of the KH2 layout, showing how much work the Restoration Committee has been doing. The KH2 Item Shop and the giant refrigerator are now a Scrooge ice-cream parlor.

Axel, wearing his KH3 civilian clothes, joins Kairi and looks at the view with her.

AXEL  
We both lived here more than a decade ago… I knew everyone in town. If you were there, even as a child, I should remember you. You’re hard to miss.

KAIRI  
Am I?

AXEL  
Fabulous red hair to rival my own? Oh, I would remember.

Kairi grins back at him.

After a beat, Axel sobers up again.

AXEL  
I know a lot went on since then. More than I was able to tell you during training. But I don’t forget people. I just don’t. Not unless something stronger than me prevents it. Like what happened with Xion.

Both remain silent to think about this for a second, then Kairi turns her gaze to the city again. The world is hazier than it should normally be, and it gets worse the further away you look.

KAIRI  
My memory’s always been… hazy. I didn’t think much of it before, but it did bother me. I knew I came from someplace different. I remembered my grandmother in the library, telling me a story. It was even clearer after Sora restored the worlds, but everything else was still... missing. And…

FLASHES of Shadow Heartless in Central Square. A capsule door closing with APPRENTICE XEHANORT turning away. Kairi clutches her pendant, presses her lips together and tries again.

KAIRI _(cont’d)_  
I don’t think it’s normal.

Axel looks at her thoughtfully.

KAIRI  
What was this world like?

**SECRET FOREST – SUNSET VIEW - FLASHBACK**

KAIRI  
Tell me, what was it like?

**BACK TO RADIANT GARDEN - MARKETPLACE**

Axel is wearing his black coat. He grins.

AXEL  
Oh, that I remember perfectly.

He bends down a little, pointing at his heart, and winks.

AXEL _(cont’d)_  
Just follow my heart.

[Explore the present-day area.]

[SHIFT]

**RADIANT GARDEN – PRESENT-DAY MARKETPLACE**

The MARKETPLACE is a nicer version of the KH2 layout. The KH2 Item Shop and the giant refrigerator are now a Scrooge ice-cream parlor, held by a woman named Eleanor. Around the Marketplace are Wedge’s Armor shop, Biggs’s Weapon shop and Jessie’s Accessories.

YOUNG LEA _(off screen voice)_  
Come on!  
Hurry up!  
You changed your mind or what?

[SHIFT]

**RADIANT GARDEN – BBS-ERA MARKETPLACE**

Shifting here makes Kairi stagger to the side but she doesn't transform into her younger self; instead young Lea and Isa appear. The area changes a little bit. The Ice-cream Parlor is replaced by Migelo’s Armor shop, boarded up, for sale; around the Marketplace are Elmyra’s Flowershop, Marle’s Item Shop and Cid’s Accessories.

With Lea skipping excitedly next to him, Isa buys silver ear studs from Cid, then takes a few steps away from the shop and stops to put them on.

LEA  
Nice!

The boys climb the steps to the area where Sora, Donald and Goofy land in KH2; they scale the wall and disappear on the other side. Kairi can't jump high enough to reach the top of the wall yet.

[BACK TO CASTLE TOWN.]

****

**RADIANT GARDEN – CASTLE TOWN – LEA’S MEMORIES**

The area has NPCs in it again, but neither 4YO-Kairi nor her grandmother.

Lea buys something from the Moogle shop, pockets it, then he and Isa leave the area through the northern street. Follow them as HD!Kairi or as a child.

**RADIANT GARDEN – BOROUGH**

Following Lea and Isa leads not to the Marketplace like the first time, but further into the streets with no fade-to-black cut. The path through the Borough branches off to the right, up stairs to the Marketplace, and to the left at ground level through residential streets, to an alley which leads to the Fountain Court area from BBS.

When Nightmares spawn, the boys run to cover as if they're trying not to get caught. If you follow them as a child, there are no random Nightmare encounters, but sometimes walls of white mist will block your way until you Shift back to HD!Kairi and hack through it or use Wind magic to clear the way. After these hostile encounters, Lea and Isa reappear; Lea looks at you like he sees you, and keeps going.

LEA  
Liking the new look?

ISA  
You tell me…

LEA  
… Shut up.

**RADIANT GARDEN – FOUNTAIN COURT**

LEA  
First one up to the Secret Spot!

ISA  
It’s not a race.

LEA  
‘Cause you’re scared you can't keep up?

Isa scoffs. He doesn’t bother to pick up the pace and Lea waits for him.

LEA  
You’re no fun…

They help each other climb—Isa gives Lea a leg up, then jumps, and Lea helps pull him up.

Scale the fountains to a high platform that doesn’t exist in BBS. The boys claim a dry ledge right above it as their spot, with a nice view of the Castle backyard. They sit with their feet dangling off the ledge. The door leading to the Aqueduct is at the other end of the area, like in BBS. At ground level, there is a large opening with a grating for water evacuation.

The field music stops and all you can hear is the water running.

**SCENE**

Isa stares down at the water evacuation vent while Lea pulls out plain black toy chakrams and a pair of stickers depicting grinning Bombs. Laying everything in his lap, he then starts peeling the first sticker off its paper to decorate one of the toy chakrams.

ISA _(softly)_  
This is definitely not my favorite option. Captain Braig keeps patrolling the underground. We’ll never get close enough to the entrance. I wonder what he’s doing down there.

Lea looks up, then back to his decorating.

LEA  
I’m tellin’ ya, Plan A is going to be fine. We’re fast. They won’t expect it in broad daylight. And if anybody sees us, they’ll think we’re just some kids foolin’ around.

He spins the newly decorated chakram on his finger to illustrate his point.

ISA  
They can’t see us. It’s already bad enough that you make sure everyone remembers you.

LEA  
Will you relax? Look… I’m getting good at this!

Lea gets up, takes aim for a second, then throws the toy chakram towards a bird sitting on a wall. The chakram flies past the bird, a few feet away from it, but then curves back and scares the bird off as it hits it in the legs from behind. The toy falls to the ground, narrowly missing the water, which would have washed it away through the grating. Isa looks at Lea, unimpressed. Lea focuses, arm outstretched, and after a second of intense concentration, the chakram flies back to him. He catches it with a smirk, and looks at Isa. Isa is silent for a moment longer.

LEA  
A little praise here?

ISA  
I don’t know why I trust you.

LEA _(sighs)_  
Better than nothing… 

He sits back down.

LEA _(cont’d)_  
You’d be bored without me, admit it.

ISA _(glares back)_  
It’s serious this time, though.

LEA _(looking glum)_  
Yeah.

The wind carries the faint echo of a child crying. The boys tense up.

The sound is gone as suddenly as it came. The fountains carry on.

LEA _(quietly)_  
No one’s doing anything about it. They’ll say we’re making it up.

ISA  
I know. I want to know, too.

LEA  
Tomorrow.

ISA  
Okay.

**END SCENE**

The door to the Aqueduct is locked and Nightmares spawn to fend you off. Shifting to 4YO!Kairi does not work on top of the fountains. White mist will sweep in from the water evacuation zones if you get too close as a child; Lea jumps in to help and drag you away.

The boys eventually leave the area. It’s close to sundown.

Once they’ve left, the light changes to earlier in the day. The fountains turn off and you cannot get back up without High Jump.

[Back to the Borough]

**RADIANT GARDEN – BOROUGH**

Isa and Lea appear as allies when you explore the streets as 4YO!Kairi and get attacked by mist. Lea cuts through the fog with his chakrams, Isa pulls you by your arm to a safer area.

If you play as HD!Kairi, they run to cover instead, like before.

[To Castle Town]

[To Marketplace]

**RADIANT GARDEN – MARKETPLACE**

The area is safe to explore as HD!Kairi; random mist attacks if you play as 4YO!Kairi. You can trade and purchase items from the Moogle shop in Castle Town and Merlin’s cabinet, but not from shops in the Marketplace. The NPCs only respond with one line.

[Back to the Borough]

[Skip to Castle Town]

**RADIANT GARDEN – CASTLE TOWN**

A Ghost Aqua walks through the area from the northern street, but stops and turns to Merlin’s house. Then she walks to the door and goes inside.

[1st visit to Merlin’s House]

[Return visit to Merlin's House]

[Go to Central Square]

[Back to Borough]

**MERLIN’S HOUSE**

The room is in its Limitcut design. No one’s home.

As Kairi looks around, someone enters.

MERLIN  
I must be more popular than I thought.  
So many guests, and all on the same day!

KAIRI  
Merlin!

MERLIN  
Hello there, Kairi.

KAIRI  
What memory is this? This can’t be from when I was little. 

MERLIN  
It doesn’t seem like it, does it?

KAIRI  
Have we met before? When I lived here?

MERLIN  
If we did, I don’t remember, child. But I have had a house in this world for a very long time.

KAIRI  
I wish I could remember more.

MERLIN  
All in due time. You can’t teach history in reverse, is what Archimedes used to say.

KAIRI  
Where _is_ Archimedes?

Merlin pauses.

MERLIN  
Where is he indeed…

Kairi seems about to press the issue, then decides against it.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
He never did leave the house…

MERLIN  
If you need anything, help yourself. Think of this as your second home.

KAIRI  
Thank you. Merlin.

The usual supplies are available near the fireplace behind the big chair.

There is a DESK behind the black board. It is empty.

MERLIN _(if you talk to him)_  
If it’s the book you’re here for, I placed it over on the desk.

[SHIFT]

**MERLIN’S HOUSE**

Nothing seems to have changed in the room. Merlin has the same two lines when you talk to him.

MERLIN  
If it’s the book you’re here for, I placed it over on the desk.

MERLIN  
If you need anything, help yourself. Think of this as your second home.

The DESK is still empty, but the Shift prompt appears in its vicinity.

[SHIFT]

[Exit Merlin’s House.]

**MERLIN'S HOUSE**

**[SHIFT]**

The BBS design shimmers over the Limitcut design—Cid’s giant computer disappears, the piles of books move to fill the space instead, and the blackboard and globe are pushed back against the wall. POOH’S STORYBOOK appears on the desk, and the room shifts back to its Limitcut design.

MERLIN  
Read to your heart’s content, my dear.

You can now interact with the book.

KAIRI  
Pooh’s storybook!

The book’s cover is based on the restored KH3 cover—the cover illustration is that of a log on the grass underneath a blue sky with white clouds. However, neither Sora nor Pooh sits on the log.

MERLIN  
There's no need to fret, lass.  
Remember how Sora repaired his connection to Pooh?

KAIRI _(smiles and nods)_  
Yes.

MERLIN  
Whatever's lost can be found again.  
There are always new paths between hearts for us to discover and traverse.  
You know what to do.

[Enter POOH’S STORYBOOK]

_...orexit Merlin's House to finish the Radiant Garden plot first!_

[Exit Merlin’s House.]

POOH’S STORYBOOK

**~Author’s note~**

_I am currently trying to figure out a way to code this story-path without you missing any key plot scenes, which… will take some time, as it involves world jumps and not just area jumps._

_If you really want to visit the 100 Acre Wood now, at this particular point in your experience of the Radiant Garden story,[open this link in a new window](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/73528011), prepare for an 8,000 word read, then close the window and go back to this exact point in Radiant Garden to finish the local plot (less than 2,000 words)._

_Otherwise, you’ll be able to enter the storybook at the end of this chapter :)_

_Thank you for your patience!_

[Exit Merlin's House]

**CENTRAL SQUARE – DAY**

VEN  
Let me go with you, Aqua.

Ven and Aqua are standing in the middle of the square as Kairi enters the area.

AQUA  
No, Ven. Do as I say and go home.

VEN  
Why won’t you let me?

AQUA  
I don’t want to put you in harm’s way.

She turns to him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

AQUA _(cont’d)_  
You understand?

She steps back and activates her armor. Then she leaves on her glider and Ven fades away.

Isa and Lea cross the Square from Castle Town to the opposite street. Ven is sitting against a wall, spinning a wooden Keyblade. As Isa and Lea walk past Ven, the Keyblade drops at their feet. Lea stops.

During all these scenes, Kairi can walk—not run—in the area. There are no enemies, only these bits of memories fading in and out. The dialogue runs on if you stay close to listen, but the flashback moves on more quickly, the closer you get to the Gardens.

LEA  
This yours?

ISA  
Lea, we don’t have time for this.

LEA  
Lighten up, Isa. It’ll only take a sec.  
_(to Ven)_  
You still play with toy swords? That’s cute. Now this right here…  
_(Produces his decorated toy chakrams)_  
Tada! Whaddaya think?

VEN  
Not a whole lot.

LEA  
You’re just jealous. I’m Lea. Got it memorized? What’s your name?

VEN  
Ventus.

LEA  
Okay, Ventus. Let’s fight!

VEN  
Fight? Why would I wanna do that?

LEA  
You scared of losing? C’mon. Hope you’re ready.

Ven gets up, chuckling.

LEA  
Yeah! Now we’re talking!

VEN  
You’re gonna be sorry!

Isa chuckles.

You've crossed to the other half of the Square.

ISA  
Lea, we have to go.

LEA _(lying on the ground, gets up)_  
‘Kay.

VEN  
Already?

LEA  
I’ll see ya when I see ya. After all, we’re friends now. Get it memorized.

VEN  
Okay, Lea.

Close to the street that leads to the Gardens.

ISA  
What is it with you and picking up stray puppies?

LEA  
I want everybody I meet to remember me. Inside people’s memories, I can live forever.

ISA  
I know I won’t forget you. Believe me, I try all the time.

LEA  
See, I’m immortal!

ISA  
You’re obnoxious.

You can run again in the Eastern Streets.

Lea and Isa's banter stops as you reach the entrance to the Gardens.

**GARDENS – ENTRANCE – DAY**

The boys peer into the area. The DOOR TO THE REACTOR has been broken open by some kind of explosion. Dilan vanishes through the opening.

LEA  
Isn’t that one of the guards?

ISA  
Yeah.

LEA  
Wanna switch to plan D?

ISA  
Let’s take a look.

[Enter the Gardens]

**GARDENS AND PALACE DOORS**

If you get close to the fractured door, the game will draw your attention to Isa and Lea rushing instead to the gate which leads to the front doors. 

LEA _(loud whisper)_  
Hurry up! 

They slow down on the first set of steps, drop to the ground next to the flight of stairs, and sneak between trees around the left side of the elevated platform. They start using the ivy to scale the wall. You can follow and climb as HD!Kairi or turn into a Squirrel to do so. Aeleus steps away from the door and to the edge of the platform as the boys manage to drop to the other side of the wall. Aeleus hears the drop and frowns, but doesn’t leave the front doors area.

**PALACE BACKYARD**

Explore the area with Lea and Isa to find a door into the castle. Shifting makes HD!Kairi disappear and you can PLAY AS LEA INSTEAD.

As you reach a door in the outer wall of the area:

ISA  
Told you there was a way here through the dockyard.

LEA  
Yeah, well, it’s too long.

ISA  
No, I mean we can get back out that way.

LEA  
And _this_ is why we make a good team.

Other pieces of dialogue while you explore:

ISA  
Get the place memorized.

LEA  
I’m working on it.

-

ISA  
Why aren’t any of these doors guarded?

LEA  
They must be looking into the Reactor intrusion.

ISA  
Even you can’t believe that.

LEA  
Just trying to stay positive.

Above the doors along the palace wall, there are security cameras whose area of surveillance you have to avoid.

ISA  
Watch out!

LEA  
Yeah, I saw that.

Eventually you find a door with a broken camera. Isa sets about picking the lock while Lea stands watch.

**SCENE**

Note that Kairi is nowhere to be seen during that scene. This is purely from Lea’s memories.

ISA  
I've got it!

He stands up and takes a step back, smiling, to open the door. But the smile vanishes when he finds BRAIG on the other side, arms crossed, bandage covering a fresh wound on his right eye and a scratch on his cheek. Braig is grinning threateningly.

BRAIG  
I like your style. It takes guts to think you can just waltz in here unnoticed. As if!

The boys instinctively turn around to flee, but Dilan is already behind them.

BRAIG  
You found an opening, I’ll give you that. I guess you deserve a little tour, what d’you think? As a reward.

**RADIANT GARDEN PALACE – INDOORS**

The boys are escorted up narrow service stairs, past a number of service doors, to the library and then the entrance hall. Braig gives a sharp knock on the front door and Aeleus opens it.

BRAIG  
I’ll leave you to it, then. Stay out of trouble, kiddos.

He leaves right away. Dilan grabs both boys by the collar and carries them out. Lea struggles, Isa crosses his arms and waits. 

**RADIANT GARDEN PALACE – FRONT DOORS**

Dilan throws Lea and Isa out. The boys pick themselves up from the ground.

LEA  
We can walk you know!

Dilan dusts his hands off and returns to his post.

LEA  
And talk!

ISA  
Let’s go, come on.

LEA  
Rude!

**END CUTSCENE**

You can keep playing as Lea or Shift back to Heart-Diving!Kairi.

As Kairi, you can access the Reactor area and the Aqueduct. As Lea, Isa will call you back:

ISA  
Lea! Let’s just go…

The boys leave the Gardens.

[Go to the Reactor as Kairi]

**RADIANT GARDEN – REACTOR**

Shift in the empty area for a scene: Kairi can still move and explore the area while it plays out, or stop and listen.

[_[Watch BBS scene]_](https://youtu.be/C0N_drNKJ6M?t=1120)

_[Skip BBS flashback]_

Aqua, Terra and Ven are gathered at the center of the glass floor.

AQUA  
You shouldn’t put yourself so close to the darkness…

VEN  
Listen to yourself, Aqua. Terra would never—

TERRA  
You mean you’ve been spying on me?  
Is that what he said to do? The Master’s orders?

AQUA  
He was only—

VEN  
Aqua…

TERRA  
I get it.

VEN  
Terra!

TERRA  
Just stay put! I’m on my own now, all right?

AQUA  
Terra, please! Listen!  
The Master has no reason to distrust you, really!  
He was just worried.

VEN  
You’re awful, Aqua.

Aqua clutches her Wayfinder in her right hand.

From this point on, and for a short while, you can Shift to play as Aqua or keep playing as Heart-Diving!Kairi.

[Take the stairs to the Aqueduct.]

**RADIANT GARDEN – AQUEDUCT – DAY**

Trace back Aqua’s steps to the FOUNTAIN COURT. Along the outer section of the Aqueduct, the haze distorts the view on either side and you can’t get too close to the battlements. Unversed and Nightmares spawn along the way. Only Kairi can hit and defeat the Nightmares; only Aqua can hit and defeat the Unversed; so you’ll have to Shift from one character to the other if you want to clear the area. You can also just block, dodge and run. 

You’ll hear more memory lines from BBS when the path is clear—reproaches haunting Aqua as if Kairi were walking through one of her nightmares.

There is a SAVE POINT in the indoors area with the circular floor, next to the door to the FOUNTAIN COURT.

[Enter FOUNTAIN COURT]

**RADIANT GARDEN – FOUNTAIN COURT**

Aqua passes Kairi, jumps to ground level and fades as she reaches the exit on the other side of the area.

**[Boss fight] Water Nightmare.** Choose your party members for this fight:

  * **Kairi solo + Dream Eater:** Occasional situation commands will trigger team attacks with teenage!Lea, adult!Axel, or Aqua.
  * **Kairi + teenage!Lea + Dream Eater:** If Lea dies, your own HP drops to 1. Link Block as much as you can to charge his toy chakrams with more fire power.
  * **Kairi + Axel + Dream Eater** : Occasional situation commands will trigger team attacks with Axel or Aqua, or (rare) a Kairi+Axel+teenage!Lea+teenage!Isa finisher move.
  * **Kairi + Aqua + Dream Eater:** Same as the earlier Aqua fight. However, if your HP drops to zero, you get a second chance: 4YO-Kairi appears and throws flowers in the air; two thirds of your HP is restored and the enemy is stunned for a few seconds.



Use the area’s platforms to reach weak points as the enemy moves around. Link Block allows you to warp to a party member and move more quickly around the area.

**[Obtained Link Summons]**  
_Use your connection to Aqua’s light to summon her in battle_.

[Exit to Castle Town]

**RADIANT GARDEN – CASTLE TOWN**

Non-playable scene. No music.

SCROOGE  
Sea-salt ice cream!  
The flavor of the ocean breeze twists your favorite sweetness!  
Have a taste of the best holiday memory for only 15 munnies!  
Sea-salt ice cream!

Heart-Diving Kairi enters the area and stops to look. Lea and Isa are leaning against the wall of the Moogle shop, looking upset. Lea digs up some cash from his pockets and buys two ice-creams from Scrooge. He hands one to Isa. Scrooge steps to another corner of the area. After a pause, Lea speaks.

LEA _(low)_  
We’re trying again, aren’t we?

Isa frowns.

**RADIANT GARDEN – LIBRARY – FLASHBACK**

A brief flash—Ansem the Wise steps through the secret passage on the upper floor of the library. Isa keeps walking.

**BACK TO CASTLE TOWN SCENE**

ISA _(determined)_  
Yes, we are.

—

There are no more story scenes to unlock in this world for now. You may keep exploring the cleared areas or find a save point to return to the Heart Station.

[Return to Heart Station]

[Post-chapter exploration]

**CHAPTER COMPLETED**

All previously visited areas are free to explore now as HD!Kairi, including the PALACE BACKYARD. However, if you try to open the door through which Lea and Isa were escorted, a flash of light and mist will burst from it to block Kairi’s way. She will pick herself up unsteadily, holding her head. You can get out of the Backyard through a SAVE POINT or the DOCKYARD, which is surprisingly open and empty; from the Dockyard, scale up the fortification wall onto the AQUEDUCT and return to town through the REACTOR area or the FOUNTAIN COURT.

At the palace’s main entrance, Dilan and Aeleus man the door and have no reaction to Kairi getting close. The Front Doors won’t open.

Roam around Radiant Garden as Lea or 4YO!Kairi for minimal random encounters; your Dream Eater companion sticks around for extra protection and guidance to treasure. Play as HD!Kairi for normal encounters. Only she can access the Palace Backyard and Dockyard. Aqua only appears as a Link Summon with HD!Kairi. The Aqueduct teems with Unversed and Nightmares, whichever character you're playing when you enter the area. The Aqua summon finisher clears the way.

On Central Square, interact with the Castle Gate to make more enemies spawn if you need to level up. Heart of a Princess is the most effective technique to clear the area.

In the OUTER GARDEN, the door to the purification facility is open. You can go inside. There’s a chest. Nothing else.

[BACK TO THE HEART STATION]

_[Skip scene to updated Heart Station]_

**RADIANT GARDEN LAB – “REAL WORLD”**

Even is going over Kairi's dream data on the monitor when Ienzo steps up next to him and spots something on the screen.

IENZO  
Hm?

He leans closer. Even looks at him then back to the lines of code on the screen.

EVEN  
What is it?

ANSEM THE WISE _(approaching)_  
Did you find something?

Ienzo has a moment of hesitation, then he points at one particular line. Even types on the keyboard and a window containing the icon of a book opens above the line. The book bears a heart shaped symbol on its simplified cover.

IENZO  
This has appeared within data related to Merlin, hasn’t it?

ANSEM THE WISE  
It seems that way. Do you think this particular book might be of interest?

EVEN  
It does seem to be more complex than other elements of the dream.

Ienzo thinks for a beat before answering.

IENZO  
Perhaps we could ask Merlin about it.

ANSEM THE WISE  
I will let you look into it. Let me know if you find anything.

Ienzo nods.

The camera lingers on his profile, half hidden under his fringe, as Ansem the Wise returns to Kairi’s side.

**HEART STATION – UPDATED**

Aqua’s face now appears on Kairi’s Heart Station, half-jumbled but clearly visible. Axel’s portrait is a little less jumbled than earlier.

There still are three keyholes around the Station:

  * [Secret Forest] / [[Secret Forest _after_ Destiny Islands visit]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/73322253)
  * [[Destiny Islands – First Visit]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66930733#PlayIslandStart) / [[Destiny Islands – Returning]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66930733#PIReturn)
  * [Radiant Garden – Updated]



[Back to the beginning of the chapter]

[Leave a comment]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Thank you for reading this first Radiant Garden chapter!
> 
> It was quite challenging to write and post, but I had a lot of fun figuring it out, so I hope it’s enjoyable on your end, too!
> 
> I’d like to write a different sequence of events at some point, to see how that works, but I didn't have time to code all the branching paths needed to make it work here. I wanted to post this first version sooner rather than later—choices had to be made. You may have noticed an absurd loop between Castle Town and the Entryway? That's a place-holder :) I’ll let you guys know when the alternate path is up.
> 
> Until next time,  
> C.


	7. Missing Page #1: "Brain over Brawn"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t just wait  
>  then trust to fate  
>  And say that’s how  
>  it’s meant to be  
>  It’s up to you  
>  how far you go  
>  If you don’t try  
>  you’ll never know”
> 
> — Merlin, “That’s what makes the world go round,” _The Sword in the Stone_ , 1963

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The page is found underwater in the Destiny Islands. Return it to the _Sword in the Stone_ book in the Secret Forest.
> 
> References to _Melody of Memory_ gameplay.

**SECRET FOREST – MERLIN’S COTTAGE**

Archimedes is not on his perch, but he’ll fly out of nowhere and come perch on it if you interact with the cabinet for supplies.

The _Sword in the Stone_ book is on the BOOKSTAND at the back of the room.

[Enter the _Sword in the Stone_ book.]

**SIDE-QUEST: MISSING PAGE #1, “Brain over Brawn”**

An illuminated drawing of a moat outside a castle’s walls has appeared in the book, the grass and trees around it painted in yellowish autumn hues.

[Enter the page.]

**BLACK SCREEN**

???  
Heaeaeaeads up!

Crashing, thundering sounds.

MERLIN  
Ar-Ar-Archimedes. Archimedes, wh-where, where, where are we?

The dark surroundings ripple like water.

ARCHIMEDES  
In a tumble-down old tower… in the most miserable old castle in all Christendom, that’s where.

The gaze shifts and the vision of a tumble-down old tower appears, distant and hazy, in a sort of cartoon bubble of pipe smoke. As the dialogue runs on, the POV camera moves closer and the vision of the tower gradually takes up the whole screen.

MERLIN  
C-Castle? Castle?

ARCHIMEDES  
Don’t you even remember the boy?

MERLIN  
Uh, the boy?

???  
Can’t you remember one blasted thing?

MERLIN  
Oh, now, just a moment. I…

_[Skip Disney flashback]_

**SIR ECTOR’S CASTLE – MERLIN’S ROOM – MORNING**

Merlin sits in bed, having just woken up.

??? _(off screen)_  
Tight grip on the lance.

MERLIN  
Oh.

Merlin and Archimedes go to the window and look out.

??? _(cont’d)_  
Loosen the saddle, knees in tight.

**SIR ECTOR’S CASTLE – COURTYARD AS SEEN FROM THE TOWER**

SIR ECTOR _(cont’d)_  
Weight forward and stay on target.

Sir Ector pushes Kay back on his horse.

SIR ECTOR _(cont’d)_  
You keep losing your grip.

SIR PELLINORE  
It’s not a mere matter of muscle, son. Jousting is, uh, uh, a fine skill. It… It’s a highly developed science.

**SIR ECTOR’S CASTLE – TOWER WINDOW**

MERLIN _(snickers)_  
Science, indeed. One dummy trying to knock off another dummy with a bit of a stick.

ARCHIMEDES  
And the Wart’s just as hot for it as the rest of them.

**SIR ECTOR’S CASTLE – COURTYARD**

Wart runs around collecting bits of armor and weapons to fix the dummy.

MERLIN  
He certainly is. That boy’s got real spark. Lots of spirit. Throws himself heart and soul into everything he does. That’s really worth something if it can only be turned in the right direction.

**SIR ECTOR’S CASTLE – TOWER WINDOW**

ARCHIMEDES  
Ha-ha. Fat chance of that.

MERLIN  
Oh, I plan to cheat, of course.  
_(he winks at Archimedes)_  
Use magic. Every last trick in the trade if I have to.

**SECRET FOREST – OLD MOAT – DAY**

Kairi enters the area, near the drawbridge, as the scene plays out a few feet away.

MERLIN  
Well, now then. When I said that I could swim like a fish… I really meant as a fish.

ARTHUR  
You mean you can turn yourself into a fish?

MERLIN  
After all, I happen to be a wizard.

ARTHUR  
Could you turn me into a fish?

MERLIN  
Well, do you have any imagination? Can you imagine yourself as a fish?

ARTHUR  
Oh, that’s easy. I’ve done that lots of times.

MERLIN  
Oh. Well, good. Then I think that my magic can do the rest. Uh…  
_(stammers)_

He pokes at Archimedes—who is sleeping, perched on his hat—with his stick.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Archimedes, what, what is that fish formula?

ARCHIMEDES  
Who? Who? What? What? What?

MERLIN  
You know, that, that, that Latin business.

ARCHIMEDES  
Hmm? Fish? Latin? Oh, uh.  
_Aquarius aquaticus aqualitus._  
And-And now if you don’t mind…

He flies off to a tree branch. Kairi’s gaze follows him.

ARCHIMEDES _(cont’d)_  
I say good day to the both of you, if you please.

Kairi has a thoughtful smile. She looks to Merlin again.

MERLIN _(stage-whispers to Arthur)_  
When he stays out all night… he’s always tired and grumpy the next morning.

ARTHUR  
Then he must stay out every night.

MERLIN  
Yes.

Kairi chuckles.

MERLIN ( _belated realization_ )  
Oh. Oh, yes. Oh, I say, that’s very good, boy. Very.

ARCHIMEDES  
Who? What, what?

Kairi smiles.

MERLIN  
All right, boy. All set. Here we go. _Aquarius aquaticus aqualitus quum_.

He hits Wart on the head with his stick.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Aquadigitarium.

Kairi gets hit on the head out of nowhere.

KAIRI  
Ow!

She is engulfed in a swirl of glittering colors, then disappears in a cloud of pink smoke puffing out stars.

WART _(off screen)_  
Merlin, am I a fish? Am I a fish?

Fish!Kairi flops on the grass as a cute pink fish you could hold in the palm of your hand.

[Get to the water!]

Your health bar is depleting. You have as long as Merlin’s next line to hop and flop to the edge of the moat and into the water. 

MERLIN _(off screen)_  
Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, you are a fish… but if you don’t stop that flippity-flopping around… and get in the water, you won’t last long. Now, now, stay right here in the tules and I’ll… I’ll be with you in a minute.

If you fail, present-day!Kairi gasps in her sleep in the lab, holding her hand over heart, which then fades to a black Game Over screen; when you retry, you start over from the pages of the book.

**OLD MOAT – UNDERWATER – DAY**

[Underwater swimming commands explained, like in the Destiny Island scene.]

Kairi spins around awkwardly.

MERLIN _(off screen)_  
Oh. _(chuckles)_ So you thought you could take right off like a shot, did you?

ARTHUR  
Well, I am a fish, aren’t I?

Fish!Wart spits dirt as he floats up to the surface without meaning to.

Swim to them.

MERLIN  
You merely look like a fish. That doesn’t mean that you can swim like one.  
—Oh, hello there, Kairi.

Wart waves his fin…

WART  
Hi, Kairi!

…which makes him spin over. 

Kairi giggles, thereby making bubbles that propel her backwards a little.

KAIRI  
Woops… Hi!

She swims up to Wart, grabs his tail in her mouth and drags him back down to Merlin.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Very good, my dear. Now, Wart, you don’t have the instinct of a fish. So, you’ll have to use your, your brain for a change. You are living between two planes now. Somewhere between the ceiling and the floor.

While Kairi stays put and listens, Wart has fun mimicking the movements of a passing creature, which makes him swim backwards in strokes.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Now, there, there’s lots of ups and downs… like-like, uh, like a helicopter.

WART  
Helicopter?

MERLIN  
Yes…

Merlin catches Kairi’s blank look.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Oh. No, never mind that.

He swims in a circle around Wart.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
Every flick of a fin creates movement. So, first we’ll start with the caudal fin.

[ **Rhythm game tutorial starts: __** _hit the buttons at the right time for a perfect score and get to the spot where Merlin is waiting_. _The underwater mini-games would work like_ Melody of Memory _memory dives, with the notes running along a line over the scene._ ]

Wart spins over horizontally, using his lateral fins the one after the other.

MERLIN  
No, no, boy. Your tail. Tail.

Wart catches up and bumps into Merlin.

[Swim to the surface to exit the memory. Talk to Merlin when you’re ready to start the mini-game.]

MERLIN  
Now, now, that gives you the forward thrust now.

Come on. Let’s get a rhythm.

Music [“That’s what makes the world go ‘round”] starts playing for the first rhythm game sequence. Merlin turns around and leads the way. The environment is modeled after the original _Sword in the Stone_ movie backgrounds. The trio swim along the castle wall, at the bottom of the moat, among sunken dead branches and broken items, rocks and water plants. A frog sometimes crosses the screen and teases Wart and Kairi with its own moves. When they get to an area underneath a drawbridge, Kairi and Wart swim in and out of the links of one of the chains.

MERLIN  
That’s right.  
Don’t just wait  
then trust to fate  
And say that’s how  
it’s meant to be  
It’s up to you  
how far you go  
If you don’t try  
you’ll never know  
And so, my lad  
as I’ve explained  
Nothing ventured  
nothing gained  
didldidldum

End of rhythm game sequence.

[Obtained Water magic upgrade.]

Merlin, Kairi and Wart swim through thick algae and laugh. They stop and talk.

MERLIN  
Let’s, let’s swim through that tall grass again. It tickles.

[Play the song again]  
[Try another lesson]  
[Swim around]

**If you decide to play the song again:**

WART _(darting off excitedly)_  
For every to there is a fro  
For every stop there is a go

KAIRI _(joins in the singing)_  
And that’s what makes  
the world go ‘round

**If you decide to try another lesson:**

Wart swims around excitedly humming the first song, then the frog catches his caudal fin in its mouth. Wart tries to pull free.

WART  
Oh, let go, let go, let go!

The frog suddenly lets go and Wart hurtles past Kairi and Merlin into a broken piece of crockery.

WART  
Oh, you big, bug-eyed bully, you!

MERLIN  
Oh, here, here, here, here, here, now, boy. There’s no sense in going around insulting bullfrogs.

Merlin, Wart and Kairi swim away. The music changes to something more mysterious and ominous.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
A fish has plenty of other problems without that.  
The water world has its forests and its jungles too.  
So it has its tigers and its wolves.

Merlin, Wart and Kairi project shadows on the castle wall they swim by. These grow into toothy fish Nightmares. A much larger and longer shadow follows.

MERLIN _(cont’d and spoken)_  
But that, eh, ah…  
That’s what makes the world go ‘round  
You see, my boy it’s nature’s way  
Upon the weak the strong ones prey

Kairi feels the presence behind them. She turns around and spots a huge pike. She gasps and speeds up to Wart.

KAIRI  
Wart! Merlin!

Wart gasps and tries to hide in a crack in the wall. He gets stuck.

MERLIN _(cont’d, sing-songy)_  
In human life it’s also true  
The strong will try to conquer you

[Tap X to help Wart.] Kairi grabs Wart’s caudal fin to pull him out of the wall, and then they both rush away as the pike chases them.

MERLIN _(cont’d, sing-songy)_  
And that is what you must expect  
Unless you use your intellect  
_Brains and brawn_  
_Weak and strong_

WART  
Help, Merlin! Help! Help!

MERLIN  
_That’s what makes the world go round…_  
Jehoshaphat!

Merlin tries to slow the pike down by grabbing its tail. The pike turns. The momentum sends Merlin flying and he gets stuck in a helmet.

Meanwhile the rhythm game starts gradually, with Kairi sending small blasts of ice magic to the Nightmares in time with the buttons you have to press. Like in _Melody of Memory_ , if you miss notes, your HP bar depletes, and you can get a Game Over if you reach zero, whereas in the first mini-game you just start over.

WART  
Oh! Quick, Merlin, the magic!

MERLIN  
No, no. You’re on your own, lad. Now’s your chance to prove my point.

WART  
Wha-What point?

**[The rhythm game starts for good, based on the Secret Forest battle music.]**

**[ _Defeat the strong one or you’re prey!_ ]**

Merlin occasionally throws comments from the helmet. These are brief breaks in gameplay during which Kairi struggles more or less depending on how well you are doing; then the chase resumes.

MERLIN  
He’s the brawn and you’re the brain.  
Oh, now, don’t, don’t, don’t panic!  
You use your head. Outsmart the big brute.

KAIRI  
Wart!

Wart follows Kairi through a chain link. The pike gets its jaws stuck in it.

MERLIN  
Smart move, lads! That’s using the old intellect.

Wart hides and picks up a broken arrow. Given the opportunity, he sticks the arrow piece vertically into the pike’s mouth. Kairi still fends off Nightmares.

MERLIN  
Bravo, boy! Great strategy!

WART  
Is the lesson about over?

MERLIN  
D-D-Did you get the point?

WART  
Yes, yes, brain over brawn.

KAIRI  
Merlin, the arrow won’t hold him off long!

MERLIN  
Okay, lads, I’ll fix the big brute. Higgeldy piggeldy… No, no. Hocus pocus… Now, what in blaze… Eh…

The pike snaps the arrow. Kairi and Wart don’t wait for Merlin to flee, aiming for the surface. The pike chases after them. Wart jumps out of the water, Kairi swerves to the side. The pike jumps out after Wart.

KAIRI  
Wart! Merlin, hurry!

Wart and the pike jump in and out of the water. Hit the right buttons to avoid the pike.

The next time the pike plunges back in, it drags Archimedes down into the water with him, having caught his foot in its teeth.

ARCHIMEDES  
Ouch!

WART  
Help! Archimedes! Help!

Last phase of the rhythm game sequence: Kairi and Archimedes team up to defend Wart, Kairi trying to keep the enemies away while Archimedes tries to catch Wart.

Archimedes eventually catches Wart in his beak, Kairi grabs the owl’s leg in her mouth, and the three fly out of the water, the combined weight keeping them close to the surface. The pike rushes after them and crashes into rocks off screen. Archimedes looks back then ahead and drops both Kairi and Wart in surprise as he tries to slow down. He lands badly and crashes into a tree trunk. **[End of the rhythm game.]**

Merlin emerges from the water in human form with his head in the helmet.

MERLIN  
What in thunder is a monster like that doing in the moat?

He takes the helmet off and puts his hat back on.

MERLIN  
By George, l-l-l… I’ll, I’ll… I’ll turn him into a minnow.

WART & KAIRI _(flopping on the ground)_  
Merlin!

MERLIN  
Oh! Oh, there you are, children.  
Snick snack snorum!

They turn back to human form.

MERLIN _(cont’d)_  
How in the world did you ever get out of that mess?

WART  
That, that big fish almost swallowed us and, and Archimedes, he, he saved me.

MERLIN  
Well, by Jo… Oh, what do you know about that?

Merlin picks up Archimedes by one leg. Archimedes spits and coughs.

ARCHIMEDES  
I did nothing of the sort! I intended to eat him. Young perch is my favorite dish. You know that!

MERLIN  
Oh. _(chuckles)_ Do you believe that, Wart?

WART  
Well, l…

SIR ECTOR _(calling off screen)_  
Wart. Wart!

WART  
Oh, I’ve gotta go. It's Sir Ector. Thank you, Merlin. It was so much fun. And, Archimedes, I, l…

ARCHIMEDES  
Pinfeathers, boy!

SIR ECTOR  
Wart! Where are you, Wart?

WART  
Coming! I’m coming.

Wart runs to the castle bridge. Kairi stays. Merlin wrings his beard and stays put, turned towards the tree where Archimedes is perched.

**Talk to Merlin:**

MERLIN  
Now, Archimedes. Why would you half-drown yourself for a tidbit of fish? And after such a big breakfast?

**Talk to Archimedes:**

ARCHIMEDES  
Pinfeathers and gully fluff!

**Talk to Merlin again:**

MERLIN  
Would you like to give it another go?

You can replay any of the rhythm game sequences. Saying [Yes] to Merlin turns you into a fish again and puts you back at the spot where you can choose between the two rhythm game sequences.

**RETURN TO THE BOOK PAGES:**

  * The Old Moat area has been updated.
  * Obtained Form change #2: Fish. Turn into a fish to explore some underwater areas in other worlds.



—

**SECRET FOREST – OLD MOAT**

Just like the tree tops became accessible once you obtained the Squirrel transformation, you can now explore the moat around the castle as a fish.

**SECRET FOREST – OLD MOAT – UNDERWATER**

Fish!Axel immediately joins you for the exploration. He is actually an axolotl, with a black body and red external gills. There is a lot of treasure and a few side-quest cards to find. To reach them you’ll sometimes need to combine forces or figure out tiny puzzles with Fish!Axel as the area is filled with rocks and sunken items of various sizes. Axel and Kairi chat and banter along the way.

AXEL  
So Kairi… Why am I that salamander thing again?

KAIRI _(faux innocent)_  
I don’t know… You tell me?

AXEL  
This isn’t one of Merlin’s lessons. And he only turned me into this once.

KAIRI  
Maybe I thought it was funny?

AXEL  
Ha ha.

KAIRI _(giggling)_  
Sorry.

-

AXEL  
Ugh! I feel stupid.

KAIRI  
At least in my dream you can talk.

AXEL  
Yeah…  
So what? You needed the company?

-

KAIRI  
I wonder why we never saw a castle around the forest.

AXEL  
Yeah. Merlin hid so much from us. I wonder why…

KAIRI  
I don’t know if the forest feels bigger or smaller now.

-

KAIRI  
Do you remember Archimedes?

AXEL  
Who?

KAIRI  
Merlin’s owl, Archimedes.

AXEL  
Oh yeah! The grumpy little bird. Never saw much of him, did we?

KAIRI  
No… we didn’t…

AXEL  
He was always sleeping, or out somewhere.  
I thought he was just a stuffed owl.

KAIRI  
Yeah…

-

AXEL  
You know that time Merlin turned me into a salamander?  
I told Roxas and Xion about it.

KAIRI  
Oh? So what did they say?

AXEL  
You were right. They thought it was hilarious. Now they want to turn into fish, too.

Kairi laughs.

KAIRI  
I’m so glad.

AXEL  
I guess… it _is_ kind of fun.

-

AXEL  
You’re a natural.

KAIRI  
Sora and I used to pretend we were mermaids.

AXEL  
Did you now?

KAIRI  
Yes. I did like the idea of being the fastest little fish, with the help of currents.

AXEL  
That’s cute.

-

AXEL  
And to think I wanted to be a fish when I was a kid.

KAIRI _(stunned)_  
Really?

AXEL  
Just so I wouldn’t… get wet.

Kairi giggles.

AXEL  
Hey! It would have been very useful back then!

KAIRI _(sing-songy, teasing)_  
Okay…

AXEL  
Ugh! Nevermind. Just swim.

-

AXEL _(to himself)_  
They’d love it.

KAIRI  
Hm?

AXEL  
What?

KAIRI  
Who’d love this? Roxas?

AXEL  
Oh! Uh. I don’t know.  
Yeah, Roxas would laugh his head off, probably…  
I guess Isa would never let me hear the end of it. The old Isa anyway.

You can return to the surface at any point of your exploration.

**HEART STATION**

There still are three keyholes around the Station:

  * [Secret Forest]
  * [[Destiny Islands – Returning]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66930733#PIReturn)
  * [[Radiant Garden – First Visit]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66931171#HollowBastionStart) / [[Radiant Garden – Returning]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/66931171#PostRG1) / [[Radiant Garden – Merlin's House Updated (Next Chapter)]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211870/chapters/73528011)



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took some time to play _Melody of Memory_ to my heart's content and finish writing most of the fic. Back to coding and posting!
> 
> Most of the side-quest dialogue comes from _The Sword in the Stone_.


	8. 100 Acre Wood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“This book is one of the world's most cherished elements. I'd been meaning to tell Leon I'd found it, but perhaps we should keep it between us for now.”_
> 
> — Merlin, _KH2_ , Hollow Bastion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to late 2020 readers: I have gone back and replaced all mentions of “present-day!Kairi” with “Heart-Diving!Kairi” or “HD!Kairi” as the actual “present-day Kairi” is sleeping in a lab, and we’re playing the one that’s diving into her own heart. Think of HD!Kairi as the _Melody of Memory_ Kairi :) That’s who she is.
> 
> Now let’s move on to the first full Disney world at last! Credits at the end. Enjoy! 
> 
> **Field theme:**  
> [Winnie the Pooh – Kingdom Hearts OST](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_-CKMSUZ_0)  
> [“Fight Pudding with Pudding” – FFXIII-2 OST](https://youtu.be/5YCfpgpPypM)  
> [“Woods and words / Backson tracks” – Winnie the Pooh (2011) OST](https://youtu.be/ovo9JZ7xjYM)

**RADIANT GARDEN – MERLIN’S HOUSE**

MERLIN  
Read to your heart’s content, my dear.  
You know what to do.

POOH’S STORYBOOK is on the DESK at the back of the room. The cover illustration is that of a log on the grass underneath a blue sky with white clouds.

[Enter POOH’S STORYBOOK]

Kairi opens the book and the camera dives into the pages.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER I**

KAIRI  
_(dignified princess yelp)_

Kairi lands in the illustration of a page filled with the first chapter of the 2011 _Winnie the Pooh_ story.

The book is slanting to one side, with a drawing of Pooh’s empty bedroom. Kairi holds herself up awkwardly against the wall of the room, the floor being too steep to walk on.

[Use the R joystick to move the camera and the book around.]

The Shift command will zoom in on the picture, putting the room in almost full screen—though it is still tilted—with only a white frame indicating you are still in a book page; you’ll be able to move in it like in a relatively normal 2D level with some depth—walking left and right within the frame normally, walking away from the camera as you move to the back of the picture. Shift again to go back to the full-page view.

If you Shift out of the picture and the book is still tilted, Kairi will fall off the side of the page with another yelp. The title art appears:

**~100 ACRE WOOD~**

The words linger for a second, then the letters fall with a cute cartoon crashing sound.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – 100 AKER WOOD MAP**

Kairi lands on a greenish hand-drawn double page featuring all the storybook’s characters’ houses, as well as the SPOOKY FOREST, RIVER AND ROX, and SIX PINE TREES. In the top left corner are the words 100 AKER WOOD. At the bottom of the map are the words “DRAWN BY ME.” on the left page, and the words at the bottom of the right page have been erased. There is a SAVE POINT somewhere. You can move around this double page like on the KH1 and KH2 storybooks. The only area you can enter right now is Pooh’s house, which will bring you back to POOH’S ROOM.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER I – POOH’S ROOM**

The room is still tilted. The way out of the area and forward is to shake your controller, give it a jolt, until the room rights itself. Kairi will slide in the room to whatever side is at the bottom of the screen. When the room is upright again, it will take up the full screen with no visible border, and you will be able to explore the room like in a normal 3D level. 

You can then Shift out of the picture safely and hop down to the line “Pooh’s morning routine began with his exercises.”

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER I**

Kairi turns significantly smaller, or the words bigger, when she is on the page. Yet there is another catch. Kairi is too heavy for the lines. Words will crumble under her weight and you will fall to the bottom of the page. You need to be in Squirrel form—or cast a Frog or Mini status effect on yourself—to be light enough to platform across the lines on the pages, all of which are temporary transformations of course. If you fall off the book, you’ll land back on the hand-drawn map and will have to start over. Use Gravity magic to restore the fallen words to their original lines. There may be some scrambling in the process, but the lines will work as platforms you can stand on again. Use Heart-Diving!Kairi form or change camera angles with the joystick to access lower lines, otherwise, if the book is perfectly upright on the screen, you will only be able to jump up to higher lines or across gaps.

Once you get your bearings, you’ll be able to get to the edge of the right page.

[Jump, grab the ledge (corner of the page) and jump again to turn the page.]

KAIRI  
I hope it doesn’t get worse.

It doesn’t.

[Find Pooh and his friends.]

Platforming across lines and pages, you’ll pass pictures of a BRIDGE, of an area with tall trees, and more. All areas are empty. No sign of anyone. To enter a picture and visit the area, you need to hop up or down to it from the paragraphs, change back to HD!Kairi, then use the Shift command. The camera zooms in until the picture takes up the whole screen; then you can explore the area like a normal 3D level.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER II**

You come across OWL’S HOUSE (foot of the tree) and RABBITS ORCHARD. Once you’ve entered a picture, you’ll be able to access it from the 100 AKER WOOD map and pop up on the corresponding page. But you need to visit the picture and make sure no one’s home before the connection to the map is created—knock on Rabbit’s door, look through Owl’s window…

KAIRI  
I wonder where everyone is.

Eventually, you reach:

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER III**

Walking along the line of the left page, Kairi suddenly gets dirt thrown in her face from the right side of the screen.

KAIRI  
Hey!

The dirt piles up and blocks the way to the right. You have to crawl down the page or up over the pile of dirt to get to the right page.

By the time you reach the picture on the other side of the dirt pile, POOH is standing on the right side of the frame, in a clearing, next to a large piece of cloth held down by four rocks as if for a picnic, while PIGLET watches him on the other side, holding a shovel much too big for him. POOH is holding an empty honey pot in one arm and looks at his clean paw, disappointed. POOH peers into the pot.

POOH  
Oh, Piglet, this is a very light lunch.

Piglet takes the pot back using his shovel.

PIGLET  
No, Pooh. This isn't lunch.

He deposits the honey pot in the center of the cloth.

PIGLET _(cont’d)_  
I just thought it would complete the disguise.

POOH  
Well, it certainly fooled me.

KAIRI  
Pooh?

Pooh and Piglet turn at the call, startled. Piglet jumps and runs behind the nearest tree.

POOH  
If you’ll excuse me, I shall…

He blunders off after Piglet.

[Enter the picture.]

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER III – CLEARING – DAY**

You may want to try to approach them from behind like in KH1, but Kairi will stop some distance away. You can move around the area, figuring it out, while the dialogue runs on.

KAIRI  
Why do they look so scared?

POOH _(off screen)_  
Be quiet, Piglet.

PIGLET  
Shhh

KAIRI  
Hello? Um…  
Did I frighten you? I didn’t mean to.

POOH  
It sure looks smaller than I thought.

PIGLET  
B-b-but it has the red hair and everything. W-w-we should run.

KAIRI  
What?

POOH  
Wait.

KAIRI  
I’m a friend of Sora’s. My name’s Kairi.

PIGLET  
S-s-sora? It said, “Sora.” Do you think it’s a trap?

POOH  
Good question. We should ask them.

Pooh walks out from behind the tree. A non-playable scene starts.

POOH  
Hello there, somebody we don’t know.

Kairi leans down and smiles warmly.

KAIRI  
Hello, Pooh! I’m sorry I scared you. I didn’t mean to.

POOH _(to Piglet)_  
I don’t think they’re the Backson, Piglet. They don’t smell like monkey’s feet and mould.

KAIRI  
The what?

POOH  
The Backson. We’re trying to catch it, you see?

Piglet comes out, holding the shovel in his tiny arms defensively.

KAIRI  
Hi! I’m Kairi. What’s your name?

PIGLET  
P-p-p-piglet. You know Sora?

KAIRI  
I do. I’m a good friend of his. It’s very nice to meet you!

PIGLET  
He’s been captured, and we’re trying to save him!

KAIRI  
Oh?

PIGLET  
Y-y-yes!

POOH  
Yes. By the Backson! It’s a very scary monster…

PIGLET  
…that puts holes in your socks and stops all the clocks!

POOH  
And it’s terrrrribly bizy…

KAIRI  
Busy? A monster?  
What does it look like?

POOH  
Oh, um. It has a tail, and um, a shaggy rug.

PIGLET  
An ugly mug!

POOH  
Two sharp horns.

He mimics horns with his arms.

POOH _(cont’d)_  
Red hair.

PIGLET  
With a ring in its nose and big black toes.

Piglet looks at Kairi’s boots awkwardly and then up to her hair, shaking. All are silent for a second.

KAIRI  
How do you know it’s captured Sora?

POOH  
We found a note. Owl read it for us. Then Rabbit thought of a plan to catch the Backson. Everyone else is collecting items that the Backson likes to destroy. And then the Backson shall follow the trail of items right to this lovely picnic.  
_(whispering conspiratorially)_  
Which is just a pit, of course.

PIGLET  
And when he falls in, we'll get Sora back.

POOH  
Yes, Piglet. We shall get Sora back.

Kairi looks a little uncertain.

KAIRI  
Do you still have the note?

POOH _(thinks hard)_  
The note? Owl must have it.

A cart filled with a huge pile of items enters the screen with a squeak of wheels. RABBIT, wearing a metal pot for a hat, shows up, upside down from the tree above.

RABBIT  
Well done, you two.

He throws a tea cup and oven mitt over Pooh and Piglet’s heads.

RABBIT _(cont’d)_  
Now, put your combat gear on.

He flips over to the ground.

RABBIT _(cont’d)_  
This is a dangerous mission, and we cannot afford any mistakes. Sora’s fate is in our hands.

He switches Piglet and Pooh’s “helmets” around as he speaks. Then he notices Kairi.

RABBIT  
Who is this?

KAIRI  
I’m Kairi.

POOH  
She’s a friend.

KAIRI  
I’d like to help.

RABBIT  
Well we do need all the help we can get. Nice to meet you, Kairi. You’ll need combat gear. Check the pile over here to see if you can find something.

[Check the pile.]

[Obtained COLANDER.]

Kairi puts the colander on her head.

KAIRI  
I’m all set.

Kanga, Roo, and Owl rush into the clearing.

ROO  
Rabbit, Pooh, Piglet!

RABBIT  
What’s happened?

ROO  
Monsters!

Piglet jumps in Pooh’s arms.

PIGLET  
Oh d-d-d-dear!

As Kanga gets near and Roo jumps out of her pouch, Piglet dives into the pouch.

Kairi looks to the forest. A Flood—night-blue Unversed—creeps out of the forest, followed by a swarm of Buzzerflies—bee Nightmares.

KAIRI  
Leave it to me.

[Fight the enemies.]

The Flood spends a lot of time seeped into the ground while you battle the Buzzerflies. It’s easier to block its attacks until you’ve defeated all the bees and then defeat it.

OWL  
Why thank you, dear.

KANGA  
Thank you…

KAIRI  
Kairi.

KANGA  
Nice to meet you.

ROO  
Nice to meet you, Kairi! You have a cool weapon like Sora’s!

Kairi smiles wistfully.

KAIRI  
Yes. I’m a friend of Sora’s.

RABBIT  
Would you like to help us while we set the trail?

KAIRI  
I’d be happy to.

RABBIT _(nods in thanks)_  
Alright!  
Don’t you worry, my friends, we’ll get Sora back in no time!

[ _Help Pooh’s friends create a trail to lure the Backson out of the SPOOKY FOREST._ ]

**Scene track:** [ “Hundred Acre Wood Spy Game” ](https://youtu.be/B2k_fTLbKTI)

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – SPOOKY FOREST – DAY**

[Fend off Nightmares and the occasional Unversed while the group drag the cart along and arrange a trail of items around the forest.]

  * Roo crawls into a hollow fallen trunk and sticks crayons out of the cracks
  * Owl places three items on a WOODEN BRIDGE over the river
  * Kanga and Roo place a klaxon on a big TREE ROOT.
  * Piglet places wooden cubes on another root which Pooh rearranges
  * Owl hangs a ladle on a HIGH BRANCH
  * Rabbit throws Pigglet a Christmas bulb to throw to Pooh sitting on a branch next to a small STREAM—Pooh throws it back to Rabbit.
  * Piglet switches a pinecone with a tea pot on a TREE STUMP.
  * Roo twists the string of a paddle ball around a branch



KAIRI  
Owl, Pooh said you found a note from Sora.

OWL  
Indeed, I have!

KAIRI  
May I see it?

OWL  
I must have left it at my house.

KAIRI  
Oh.

OWL  
But the area seems safe enough now. Feel free to go and get it while we finish up here. Don’t knock. Please ring!

KAIRI  
Are you sure?

OWL  
Yes. It’s no problem at all.

KAIRI  
Where’s…

OWL  
We’ll regroup in the CLEARING. See you later!

KAIRI  
…your house?

Owl leaves.

[Keep exploring the woods, or use the Shift to zoom out of the current area and see the storybook page.]

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER IV**

You are on the left page. A small paragraph under the picture of the SPOOKY FOREST reads “As the group continued on with Rabbit’s plan, they journeyed deeper and deeper into the woods, placing items as they went.”

On the right page, there is a picture of a fallen tree trunk that you can enter. It is another entry point to the CLEARING.

KAIRI  
I think I walked past Owl’s house earlier. Maybe if I go back?

If you’ve visited the picture before, it’s easy to go back to the foot of OWL’S HOUSE by jumping off the page and using the 100 AKER WOOD MAP. If not, you’ll have to go back through the pages of the book until you reach the area.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER II – OWL’S HOUSE**

A very long DARK ORANGE WOOLEN THREAD is tangled in the letters of the sentences in the upper third of the pages. It dangles into the picture of OWL’S HOUSE so that you can follow it to your destination. If you’ve entered the area from the 100 AKER WOOD MAP, you’ll first find the other end of the thread caught in the branches of Owl’s Tree and you can follow that lead through the pages until it stops close to the picture of RABBITS ORCHARD. Once you’ve followed it to both ends, you can tug on it and obtain ORANGE THREAD.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – OWL’S HOUSE – DAY**

You can enter the house at the top of the very tall tree by ringing the doorbell. You can either hit the bell with your Keyblade; pull the rope with ∆; or find the end of the rope hidden in the leaves above the sign that says “DON’T NOCK PLEZ RiNG,” on the right side of the platform.

Eeyore’s tail is what’s attached to the end of the rope to pull on, in lieu of a handle.

KAIRI  
That’s odd…

Pull anyway. The bell rings; the door unlocks.

There are items, a card, a chest to find in the house and around the platform, but no note.

Kairi notices the THREAD in the branches on her way out if you haven’t interacted with it before.

KAIRI  
Maybe I should check somewhere else.  
Maybe they dropped the note when they collected the items.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – RABBITS HOUSE – DAY**

Rabbit’s vegetable patch looks oddly devastated and the scarecrow is just a naked stick figure with a ball of cloth for a head. Debris from the garden are scattered around into a trail, mingled with fallen letters from lines in the sky. The trail of devastation leads West, to another side of the SPOOKY FOREST.

Note: the field soundtrack for the world is whimsy and light, not scary.

On the opposite side of the area (NE), walking away from the house, you’ll find yourself at the bottom of a steep slope that isn’t easy to climb—you’ll slide back down if you manage a few steps uphill. A boulder is lying there, upside down, with a round nose and a big frowning mouth with teeth drawn in white chalk. There are crushed sticks and hay nearby.

Near the top of the slope, fallen letters form the word — h e L p.

It’s possible to climb all the way up if you really try, or to give up and go back to the other trail. At the top, the ground then gently slopes back down to another house in a tree to the right, and KANGA’S HOUSE in the distance to the left.

KAIRI  
I should check the woods.

Slide back down. Enter the woods to the West.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – SPOOKY FOREST – DAY**

You can see mud tracks on the ground, around a tree and going deep into the woods.

KAIRI  
Is this the Backson? Did something happen?

There is a puddle of mud between the tracks and you. If you step in it, you’ll leave tracks of your own.

KAIRI _(noticing her own tracks)_  
That explains the tracks. But it doesn’t explain who made them.

Follow the tracks. Your Dream Eater notices trampled tomatoes on the side of the trail, and a discarded metal spring.

You end up walking along a small stream. 

There is a reed sticking out of the water and slight, suspicious ripples.

—

**If you haven’t completed the MISSING PAGE #1 SIDEQUEST:**

KAIRI  
It’s too chilly to swim. And I’ve got to find out what’s going on.

**If you _have_ completed the MISSING PAGE #1 SIDEQUEST:**

KAIRI  
It’s so chilly here. Maybe it’d be easier as a fish?

[Turn into a fish to dive into the water.]

As a fish you find a CARD and EEYORE who is hiding underwater using the hollow reed to breathe.

KAIRI  
Oh! Hello!

Eeyore greets you back on instinct, but it means he lets go of the reed. It drifts away. Catch it as Eeyore scrambles up to the surface.

You meet him on solid ground. He has no tail. He shakes the water off and so does Kairi as she turns back to human form. Eeyore looks left and right, concerned, then sighs and drops to his rear, head bowed in defeat.

KAIRI  
Are you okay?

EEYORE  
Yeah… I was just hiding.

KAIRI  
From the monsters?

Eeyore sighs.

EEYORE  
No. Tigger scared them away. I’m hiding from Tigger.

KAIRI  
Who’s Tigger?

Eeyore is silent for a long moment.

EEYORE  
My friend.

KAIRI  
Oh. Why were you hiding from your friend? Did you have a fight?

EEYORE  
No. He said we would catch the Backson together, since the others left me behind.  
He tried to turn me into Tigger Two. Painted stripes on me and all. But I hate pouncing.

KAIRI  
He sounds like he really cares about you.

EEYORE  
I don’t know… I guess so.

KAIRI  
You’re lucky to have such a good friend.

Eeyore has another long pause before responding.

EEYORE  
Yeah.

KAIRI  
My name’s Kairi. I’m helping Pooh and the others find the Backson. I’m a friend of Sora’s.

EEYORE  
Nice to meet you, Kairi. I’m Eeyore. I’m a friend of Sora’s, too.  
I sure would like to help him… but I’m too slow.

KAIRI  
It’s okay to be slow. I’m sure there’s lots of ways you can help.

EEYORE  
I don’t know.

KAIRI  
What would you like to do?

EEYORE  
I’d like to find a replacement for my tail.  
I had a tail that I liked. But it’s gone.

He stands up and turns to show the nail on his behind. Kairi takes a look.

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Have I seen a tail that could fit?

[I’m not sure…]

[Yes!]

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Hmm... I'm not sure I've seen a tail that could fit.  


KAIRI _(to Eeyore)_  
Would you like me to help you look for one?

Eeyore sighs heavily.

EEYORE  
No, thanks. The others tried all morning. It was a disaster. I sure miss my old tail.

KAIRI  
I’m sure you’ll find it. Don’t give up! And if you don’t find it, then you’ll find a new one that you like even better!

EEYORE  
Yeah… I’ll keep looking. I’ll find something.

KAIRI  
[Okay]

—  
  
[Restart the dialogue]

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Hm... I think I've seen a tail that could fit.  
But where?

[Owl’s house]

[The thread]

[The cart]

KAIRI  
Owl’s doorbell looks like a tail! Maybe you should ask him?

EEYORE  
Really? Oh no, I don’t want to bother him.

KAIRI  
[Okay]

—  
  
[Restart the dialogue]

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Hm... I think I've seen a tail that could fit.  
But where?  
Oh! The thread!

[You've picked up the thread.]

[You left the thread where it was.]

KAIRI  
I found some thread near Rabbit’s house. Here! You can have some.

EEYORE  
Oh, no, I’ve tried that. It got all tangled up on my way and I got stuck. I couldn’t move anymore.

KAIRI  
Maybe it just wasn’t the right size. Here!

She cuts a piece off with her teeth and ties it to Eeyore’s nail.

Eeyore twirls it around.

EEYORE  
You can’t really see it.

KAIRI  
Oh... Sorry.

EEYORE  
It's fine. It looks nice. Much nicer than the rest of me.

KAIRI  
Don’t say that…

EEYORE  
_(sighs)_  
Thanks anyway.

KAIRI  
[You're welcome]

—  
  
[Restart the dialogue]

KAIRI _(thoughts)_  
Oh, that thread I found earlier would've made a nice tail!  
But how’s he going to get it?  
...  
I should've picked it up...  


KAIRI  
I’m sure you can find one you like. I’ll keep looking for you.

EEYORE  
Thanks.

KAIRI  
[You’re welcome]

—  
  
[Restart the dialogue]

KAIRI  
The others have gathered lots of items for the trail. I’m sure there’s something there that would look nice on you.

EEYORE  
Oh… no… They’ve already tried everything. Nothing fits. I should try to find my new tail myself.

KAIRI  
[Okay]

—  
  
[Restart the dialogue]

_[Restart the dialogue]_

Eeyore has fallen silent.

Kairi hesitates for a second before speaking again.

KAIRI  
Want to go find your friends?

EEYORE  
You go ahead, I’ll be fine.

KAIRI  
Are you sure?

EEYORE  
Yes. I’m fine.  
I need to find my tail.  
I sure miss it...

As you walk away, Eeyore slowly moves around the area.

KAIRI _(thoughts as you move away)_  
I need to tell Pooh and the others that Eeyore’s here. I don’t know if it’s safe here, and he’s all alone.

—

You can finish exploring this part of the woods, including treetops in Squirrel form. The tracks disappear after a while, into the bushes.

KAIRI  
There’s nothing here. Maybe I should check on the others.

[Return to the CLEARING by first Shifting out of the area and back to the book pages.]

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER ???**

On the page, you’ll notice that SORA’s name appears a lot in the lines of dialogue. Then entire lines turn to strings of “Honey Honey Honey”—

It reads like this:

> _“Pooh, we cannot rest until Sora is rescued. Try thinking of him instead of honey.”_
> 
> _Pooh’s tummy rumbled. “Very well,” he said, trying it out. “Sora. Sora. Sora! Ooh. It worked. Much better.” Pooh hummed contentedly._
> 
> _Until the shadow of a honey pot appeared on a tree._
> 
> _Pooh gasped. He stopped in front of it. He lifted the mitt off his head; the lid of the pot opened. He put it back on; the lid fell back down._
> 
> _“Does anybody see that?” Pooh asked._
> 
> _“See what, honey?” Kanga asked._
> 
> _“Honey? Ooh!” Pooh’s tummy rumbled again._
> 
> _“I can't wait to see the honey on that Backson's honey when he falls into our honey. Eh, Owl?” Rabbit said._
> 
> _Owl agreed, “that cheeky honey will honey twice before honeying our honey again.” “After we honey the honey,” Roo asked, “can I honey a honey?”_
> 
> _“Uh-uh-uh. No honey before honey, honey.” Kanga said._
> 
> _“Wha... ?”_
> 
> _“Honey up, Pooh. We have to honey,” Piglet honeyed._
> 
> _“Honey,” Owl honeyed on._
> 
> _Rabbit honeyed, “Ooh, honey!”_
> 
> _“Yes,” Kanga honeyed._
> 
> _“Honey,” Rabbit honeyed._
> 
> _As Pooh watched the honey honey away, his honey honey honey honey honey honey honey honey honey honey honey..._
> 
> _“Ooh, Sora, Sora, Sora... hoo-hoo-hoo”_

The pages fill up with lines of HONEY interspersed with punctuation. Some HONEYs inflate and burst like bubbles, dealing damage if you walk near them at that moment. Then bees appear and start chasing you.

The book and camera tilt until the pages become a flat continuous surface. Kairi turns back to her human form, looking tiny on the arena. The camera zooms to her level as a Queen Buzzerfly appears.

 **[Mid-boss:** Defeat Queen Buzzerfly!]

The arena is a long stretch of pages covered in lines upon lines of the word HONEY. All the pictures have turned into pools of liquid honey with springboards.

Queen Buzzerfly is surrounded with swarms of bees which you can hack at or, more effectively, disperse with ice or water magic. The Queen herself attacks with Stinger—which shoots purple stingers at you—and Pollen. She can also hit you with her arms at close range and charge. You can block Stingers and roll away from Pollen if you move fast enough.

She has four weak points—one on the front of her crown, two on her back, and one on the back of her skirt. The latter is the only one you can reach with a normal jump and combo. The other ones can be hit with Fire or Water magic, but you’ll find yourself quickly out of MPs.

You will need to create platforms to jump higher: use the Aero spell to create whirlwinds of “honey” letters where you stand. When you cast the spell, the letters may hit the Queen and deal some damage, but more importantly, you can jump on top of the whirlwinds and use them as platforms. To do so, start by jumping on the springboards around the page and give the controller an upward jolt to jump as high as possible. From the top of the whirlwinds, you can use a reaction command to wave the Queen over, if she’s too far away. The whirlwind will last just twice as long as the Aero spell usually lasts. Gravity magic will create stairways of floating letters that you can climb onto from the ground and that are easier to navigate, but which crumble under just one step. Finally, the springboards are vulnerable to your Heart of a Princess Shotlock and mis-aimed Fire spells, and can be destroyed.

After her crown or her back takes a few hits, the Queen wildly shakes her head and bats you off, her movements knocking down the platforms. The letters tumble down and Floods appear. The Unversed drop MP and HP orbs when defeated. Every so often, she will glow and you’ll have just a couple seconds to run before she flails and spins, releasing a powerful Aeroza spell that destroys all remaining platforms and blows the letters away. This attack also destroys the nearest springboards.

With no more letters or boards to reach her weak points, you will have to run further down the pages of the story book until you find new pools and lines. Use the reaction command to make sure the Queen chases you to the new arena. Repeat the process until the Queen is defeated.

**[Obtained Aero upgrade]**

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER IV**

Kairi catches her breath on the CHAPTER IV double page. It lies flat, like the MAP area, and you can walk on it safely. The lines underfoot are a jumbled mess of HONEY, but the pictures are back to normal.

You can access the CLEARING directly from the log illustration on the right page, or take a longer route through the SPOOKY FOREST from the left page, which will be uneventful. Step on the picture and Shift to enter the area.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CLEARING – DAY**

Kairi enters the edge of the clearing. Rabbit, Kanga, Roo, and Piglet are pacing around.

RABBIT  
Pooooh? Oh now where did that bear go?

KAIRI  
What’s the matter?

ROO  
Pooh’s missing!

KANGA  
We searched all over, and no sign of him.

OWL _(flying in)_  
The report from my aerial excursion is inconclusive.

A loud, echoing MOAN makes them all jump and shout in fear. Near the tree where the trap was laid, the cloth covering the pit is gone, something having clearly fallen inside.

RABBIT _(gasps)_  
The plan worked. We caught the Backson!

Moaning continues.

PIGLET  
Oh! It sounds horrib-b-ble!

RABBIT  
Now that we have him, Owl, you can go and get Sora back.

Kairi looks between all of them.

OWL  
No! No, I'm far too important to put myself in that predicament. Kanga, off you go.

KANGA  
Oh, no, no, no. I'm with child.

She produces Roo to stress her point.

ROO  
Send the pig.

Piglet panics, stammers and faints under his teacup.

KAIRI  
I’ll go.

KANGA  
Oh, be careful…

[Check the pit.]

At the bottom of the pit, a small creature caught in the cloth runs against the wall and falls backwards. The cloth falls off, revealing that it’s Pooh, his head stuck in the empty bait honey pot.

POOH  
Oh, bother…

KAIRI  
Pooh?

The other animals show up at the edge of the pit.

RABBIT  
Pooh?

POOH _(waves upwards)_  
Oh, hello.

PIGLET  
Oh, Pooh, you went back for the honey, didn't you? But I told you it was empty.

POOH _(standing up)_  
Yes, and I believed you, Piglet. But my tummy had to see for himself.

KANGA  
Poor, poor Pooh.

ROO  
How are we ever gonna get him out of there?

KAIRI  
We need to throw him a rope.

A scratching metal sound draws nearer, making them turn around. Eeyore enters the clearing.

EEYORE  
It's me, it's me  
I win the honey pot  
Found this anchor over there  
Now it's on my _derrière_  
Not that anybody'd care

PIGLET  
Eeyore!

_[If you missed the Eeyore encounter]_

KAIRI  
Who is this?

ROO  
It’s Eeyore. He’s our friend!

-

_[If you’ve already met Eeyore]_

KAIRI  
Eeyore, you did it!

OWL  
And where have you been all this time?

KANGA  
Have you seen Tigger?

EEYORE  
_(mumbles with his head between his legs)_

RABBIT  
I’ve got an idea!

[Talk to rabbit.] OR [You can leave the clearing to skip the scene. It will go on whether you stay or not.]

RABBIT  
Eeyore’s new tail looks long enough to reach the bottom of the pit. Let’s throw it down and pull Pooh back up!

They pick up the anchor and get to the edge of the pit, encouraging Eeyore to move along.

RABBIT  
OK, everyone, make sure you have a good hold. Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

KAIRI _(too polite to interfere, even if you run around them)_  
Um… I’m not so sure about this.

[Talk to EEYORE]  
Something tells me I was better off with Tigger.

RABBIT  
Heave-ho!

EEYORE  
Yep.

All shout as they are dragged along with the heavy chain, except Piglet who falls to the ground. They hit Rabbit and fall into the pit. Sound of a broken pot.

RABBIT  
Oh, this is lovely. We are stuck down here, and the Backson is still up there.

PIGLET  
Oh, d-d-dear! Wait for me.

He starts climbing down into the pit. Kairi catches him.

KAIRI  
No, Piglet!

RABBIT  
No, no, Piglet. Stay.

PIGLET  
But the Backson!

RABBIT  
You can help us if you stay up there!

KAIRI  
That’s right, Piglet! And I’ll be with you. You’ll be safe.  
Let’s go look for something to get them out of here.

PIGLET  
Okay. There might be something over by the pack.

KAIRI  
Show the way.

[Follow Piglet around the clearing.]

He stops next to a flower patch.

PIGLET  
I found something! Here.

KAIRI  
What? Ooh. That's a lovely flower, Piglet.

PIGLET  
Yeah, I thought so, too.

KAIRI  
It is very nice. But I think we need something longer.

PIGLET  
Longer? Of course. How silly of me.

[Obtained DAISY.]

He runs in another direction, towards the trail of items, and starts to try heaving a huge green book.

KAIRI  
Um, good thought, Piglet. But are you sure that's long enough?

PIGLET  
Oh, yes, it is. Owl read this to me once, and it was certainly the longest thing I'd ever heard.

They both giggle. 

KAIRI  
I think what we need is a rope, Piglet.

PIGLET  
A rope? Well, there is this rope.

He runs to another spot, and picks up a perfect-looking rope.

KAIRI  
That’s perfect! Let’s bring it back to the pit!

OWL _(from within the pit)_  
Spot-on, Piglet. Do be a helpful little swine and get us out of here.

PIGLET  
All of you?

RABBIT  
Yes, Piglet, all of us.

PIGLET  
All right. Three, four... Don't forget Rabbit.

He rushes off with the rope.

KAIRI  
What are you doing?

Piglet snipes away at the rope with scissors.

KAIRI  
Piglet!

PIGLET  
And six. There!

He rushes back with his small pieces and drops them in front of him.

PIGLET  
Now you can all get out!

He starts arranging the six little pieces along the edge.

POOH  
How very thoughtful you are, Piglet.

RABBIT  
Good grief!

KAIRI  
Tie them together, Piglet. Can you tie a knot?

PIGLET  
I cannot.

RABBIT  
So, you can knot.

PIGLET  
No, I cannot knot.

RABBIT  
Not knot?

POOH  
Who's there?

RABBIT  
Pooh!

POOH  
Pooh who?

RABBIT  
No! Agh…

Kairi has picked up two pieces.

KAIRI  
I don’t think it’s possible to knot these pieces anyway.

ROO  
Oh! I know! There’s a jump rope in Sora’s house.

KAIRI  
Sora’s house? That’s it! Piglet, can you show me where the house is?

POOH  
And bring some honey!

PIGLET  
Oh… Okay… But I’d really rather stay here.

KAIRI  
It’s okay!

PIGLET  
Through there?

Owl flies out of the pit and lands gracefully next to Piglet.

OWL  
Yes, Piglet. Through a dark wood fraught with peril, on a mission of life or death. It is a task of great complexity, but I have full confidence that you shall return victorious, and rescue us from the abyss.

He pushes Piglet to the edge of the woods.

KAIRI  
Um… Owl?

Owl pushes Kairi, too.

OWL  
Go forth, bravest friends, and we shall await your return. For weeks, if necessary.

KAIRI  
Alright… let’s go.

Owl flies back down into the pit. Camera stays on the pit from ground level.

A beat.

RABBIT _(incredulous)_  
Owl!

OWL  
What?

RABBIT  
I can't believe… how wonderful that speech was!

They all clap.

POOH  
I can't, either.

EEYORE  
Moved me to tears.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – SPOOKY FOREST – WITH MIST**

If you try to Shift out to the page, Piglet lets out a terrified shout, and Kairi decides against getting out of the picture. The camera zooms back in.

Nightmares and rare Floods come out. Piglet is a party member. He carries a wooden spoon, a teapot lid as a shield, and his teacup helmet. He mostly runs around you and hides in combat, but you do have a team attack when the enemies gather into a pack.

KAIRI _(team attack line)_  
Piglet!

PIGLET _(team attack line)_  
Oh d-d-d-dear. I mu-mustn’t fear.

Kairi grabs him, spins and throws him to the enemy. Piglet curls into a ball and scatters the pack, taking 25% of their full health.

At some point, Piglet yells and runs back to hide behind a root. Kairi gasps.

KAIRI  
Oh no, Piglet, look. It’s just a balloon.

PIGLET  
B’loon? Oh dear.

He gets out of hiding and moves close to the red balloon, stuck in low branches.

PIGLET  
How’d you ever get stuck up here? Wasn’t the Backson was it?

The balloon squeaks as Piglet pulls on its string. Kairi helps untangle it as Piglet pulls and pulls.

PIGLET  
Oh good.

They free B’loon. The branch snaps backwards and hits something. A loud pained grunt is heard.

Kairi jumps into her fighting stance. A growing shadow emerges from the bushes.

PIGLET  
Backsoooon!!!

KAIRI  
Piglet, hide!

???  
Backson?!

Piglet shouts as the balloon carries him away and the unknown creature—a two-legged thing wearing an ugly faded blue shirt with too long sleeves and a mop of red hair that hides most of its face—runs in the same direction, shouting, too.

You may catch glimpses of an orange tiger tail.

KAIRI  
Piglet!

[Save Piglet!]

Run after Piglet and the creature. It runs too fast for Kairi to catch up and hit it with her Keyblade. You can lock on and cast spells. Aero will blow Piglet further away. Branches will snap back on their trail and hit Kairi—block them. The creature will dodge fire and howl in fright!

The creature eventually jumps and grabs Piglet around the waist, flying away with him.

PIGLET  
Help me! Help!

???  
Piglet!

PIGLET  
He knows my name!

They fly away from Kairi’s reach, out of the woods. The path is blocked by water and bushes. Shift out to the pages.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER V**

The lines on the current page narrate the end of the previous scene and Kairi’s feelings and actions as she now tries to save Piglet. A timer has appeared. Get to the next page before it runs out. The destination spread has a two-page-wide CLEARING illustration on the lower half, with blocks of text narrating Piglet’s fear in the upper half. Once above the clearing illustration, you’ll see that some lines have been knocked out of the blue, clouded sky, and letters are scattered around the pit.

KAIRI _(shouting down)_  
Where’s Piglet?

RABBIT _(from within the pit)_  
Down here! But B’loon is in trouble!

[SHIFT]

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CLEARING – DAY**

Kairi stands on a line of text floating in the air. Gazing up you’ll see the chapter text in the sky.

B’loon is stuck at the very top of the text. Go get it. Knock over more letters to create stairs and grab B’loon before it flies away. If you’ve knocked down too many lines before you reached the balloon, you can restore the paragraphs with Gravity. Once you’ve caught it, drop down to the CLEARING area. 

Kairi falls into the bushes, holding B’loon. When she gets back to the clearing with B’loon, everyone’s already got safely out of the pit. TIGGER and Piglet are with them.

EVERYONE  
Kairi!

ROO  
Are you alright?

KAIRI  
Yes. How did you all get out?

RABBIT  
Pooh used the letters you and Piglet knocked down to build a ladder!

POOH  
But the honey pot was still empty.

KANGA  
We’ll get you lunch, dear. You deserve it.

POOH  
It can’t be soon enough…

KAIRI  
Well, I’m glad you’re all safe. I thought the Backson got you, Piglet.

PIGLET  
Oh no… It was Tigger!

KAIRI  
Oh.

ROO  
Does that mean the Backson is still out there?

KAIRI  
Oh, right, Owl. I couldn’t find the note.

OWL  
Really?

POOH  
You mean, this note?

Pooh takes the note out of his shirt. Kairi reads it eagerly:

> “Gon out  
>  Bizy  
>  Back soon  
>  S.”

KAIRI  
Um… I think there’s been a misunderstanding.

OWL  
Impossible!

KANGA  
How so?

KAIRI  
It says “back soon”, not Backson.

A beat.

ALL  
Oh….

After a second of relief, they all turn to Owl, who looks mortified, and flies off in a hurry.

EEYORE  
Well, that’s a relief.

KANGA  
Am I glad there’s nothing to worry about!

TIGGER  
We all got pumped up for nothing!

PIGLET  
So there’s no monster?

KAIRI  
I guess not…

POOH _(looking up to Kairi hopefully)_  
So Sora’s going to be back soon, then?

KAIRI  
I…

She clutches the note and suppresses the tension. She smiles at them.

KAIRI  
Yes. I’ll bring him back soon.

ROO  
Yay!

POOH  
Does that mean you’re leaving?

KAIRI  
I should… I don’t know.

RABBIT  
We still have to find Eeyore’s missing tail.

EEYORE  
I’m fine…

KAIRI _(holding out the note)_  
You said you found this near Sora’s house. Could you show me where that is?

TIGGER  
It’s easy! It’s the one with the green door.  
I’ll show you!

KAIRI  
Thanks!  
Do you mind if I keep this?

POOH  
Oh no, keep it. We don’t need it.

KAIRI  
Thank you.

She pockets the letter.

POOH  
When you find Sora, will you say hi for us? We do miss him.

KAIRI  
I will. I’m sure he misses you, too.

TIGGER  
Now come along, Tigger Three!

PIGLET  
Tigger Three?

TIGGER  
I’m Tigger One. Eeyore’s Tigger Two.  
I’ve seen how Kairi can bounce!  
Let’s pounce!

KAIRI _(lightening up)_  
Alright. Lead the way!

ROO  
Come back soon!

They giggle.

POOH  
What’s so funny?

Shift out of the picture.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER V**

The lines form a messy set of stairs that leads to the top left corner. Tigger bounces up it. The quickest route is too stay in Heart-Diving form and fall off the page to the MAP. Or use the save point in the clearing, which can now teleport you to the 100 AKER WOOD MAP.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – 100 AKER WOOD MAP**

The house labelled MY HOUSE now has a dark colored door. Tigger bounces next to it. You can enter the area from the map.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER VI**

You drop from the sky down a left page devoid of text, to an illustrated stretch of grass.

Tigger looks up, puzzled.

TIGGER  
What horrendemous thing happened here?

He tries to bounce back up, as high as possible. If you stick around long enough, he’ll manage to get onto the top of the picture area, but he’ll drop back down. The illustration continues on the next page, but to get across the gap, you need to Shift into the area.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – MY HOUSE**

Walking South, you’ll find the top of the cliff with the steep slope and the word HELP that leads to Rabbits Orchard. The house is in the opposite direction. It is a beautiful, healthy oak tree with a door.

There are scattered toys, a broken jack-in-the-box and black paint stains on the ground, in the area in front of the house.

The door has no handle. It looks like the door in the Secret Place. Tigger doesn’t seem surprised. He’s busy bouncing up and down, looking up. The sky overhead is a light, soft blue with pastel clouds. If you stand under the tree branches, you’ll see lines of text through them, far up ahead.

You can ring the bell on the bike. Kick around musical instruments.

Shift out of the picture onto the second page.

**POOH’S STORYBOOK – CHAPTER VI**

Tigger hops to the top of the picture and starts climbing up the lines to investigate. The door is now a normal 100-Acre-Wood-style green door, with a handle and a lock.

[ _Open it?_ ]

[Y/N]

Kairi uses her Keyblade. The line of light pierces through the keyhole and with a flash, it unlocks. Kairi steps to the door, pulls it open and enters.

FADE TO WHITE THEN BLACK.

**[Obtained Hunny Spout Keychain]**

**[Obtained MYSTERIOUS LETTER.]**

—

**HEART STATION**

Kairi blinks as she steps to the center of her Heart Station. Nothing has changed in the patterns of stained-glass. However, looking around her, she notices a new floating keyhole appearing, left of Radiant Garden.

Stepping close to it, you can’t hear any line, only silence. If you wait a little, you’ll hear a soft chime followed by the heavy crunch of a good chunk of snow dropping to snowy ground below.

  * [Visit ???] **_Coming soon!_**



The other worlds are still there:

  * [Secret Forest]
  * [Destiny Islands]
  * [Radiant Garden]



—

You earn the trophy “True Detective” if, while searching for the note, you interacted with all traces of Tigger’s shenanigans.

—

Whichever destination you choose, a cutscene starts:

**RADIANT GARDEN LAB – “REAL WORLD”**

The scene opens with close-ups on Axel, who is sitting in a chair, in civilian outfit—mane of fiery red hair, one black boot on the chair, arm thrown over his folded knee—he is watching Ansem the Wise take notes next to Kairi, frowning with undisguised distrust. His other hand is gripping the edge of the chair tightly. Ienzo, at the monitor, sighs in annoyance. Ansem looks up, interrupting his work.

ANSEM THE WISE  
There is no need for such hostility.

IENZO  
It is unwarranted…

Ansem cuts him off with a gesture. Ienzo stops immediately and goes back to his work, but he is listening. Axel leans back against the wall, anything but casual.

AXEL  
We’ve all done very icky things as Nobodies, and I know most of us want to leave it in the past. We were made to believe we had no heart after all, and some of us were kids at first. We didn’t know any better. But what’s your excuse?

Ansem frowns gravely.

ANSEM THE WISE  
I will take my share of responsibility for Xehanort’s many crimes. I failed to protect you.

Axel scoffs.

AXEL  
Don’t blame everything on Xehanort. He had no hand in what you did to Roxas.

Ansem looks even darker.

AXEL  
Yeah… That was entirely on you.

ANSEM THE WISE  
I didn’t understand that Nobodies were more than abnormalities.

AXEL  
Right. None of us really did, did we?

ANSEM THE WISE  
I will spend the rest of my life trying to atone for these sins.

AXEL  
You sure owe him and Namine more than an apology. Helping restore them to life won’t be enough to earn their forgiveness. Or their trust.

ANSEM THE WISE  
I understand your point.

AXEL  
I’m not done.

IENZO  
What else could there possibly be, Axel?

AXEL  
“Subject X.”

A beat of tense silence.

AXEL  
Xehanort wasn’t in charge back then, was he? _You_ had her locked up in a cage.

Ienzo looks at Ansem the Wise.

AXEL  
Don’t tell me you don’t remember. I’ve got it… perfectly… memorized.

He goes back to his first position as he says these words—curled up on the edge of the chair like a raptor, looking out for prey. Another beat of tense silence.

IENZO  
Master’s research was always well-intended.

AXEL  
Sure. Nothing fishy ever happened here, especially not before Xehanort showed up.

ANSEM THE WISE  
You have all rights to distrust me, but I assure you no harm will come to Kairi.  
I put an end to Xehanort’s experiments as soon as I found out how far he'd taken the freedom I gave him. His folly showed me the pursuit of knowledge could have devastating consequences.

AXEL  
That was your first clue…?

IENZO  
Axel, stop that. I will not let you insult Master Ansem inside his own castle. You are in no position to lecture others on right and wrong.

Axel pauses.

AXEL  
Alright. Then tell me this, if we’re allies. What happened to her? Where is she?

Ansem holds his gaze.

Fade to black.

**—**

**POOH'S STORYBOOK – SECOND VISIT**

Two mini-games become available when you return to the world:

  * MY HOUSE: Tigger uses the opportunity of the odd blank page to challenge you to a bouncing contest. You’ll learn that the lines that used to be here were dragged off the page when you pulled the orange thread. The door to “Sora’s house” is the normal green door. If you open it, it’s just a closet-size space in the tree trunk with more stuff in it and a card for the Pomp and Circumstance side-quest. The door on the page picture leads to the Heart Station. The gap between pages drops you to the 100 AKER WOOD MAP. **Mini-game theme:** ["Bounce-O-Rama" from _Kingdom Hearts_](https://youtu.be/aoQRy6YOTP0) ... [sped up](https://youtu.be/zhmqkpy4AOI).
  * OWL’S HOUSE: Pooh stands on the tree house platform, staring at the bell rope. Story and resolution of the missing tail mystery. Then, Owl, who has just “achieved completion of his autobiographical treatise!” will offer to read a passage. This will launch a side-scrolling pure platform mini-game. **Mini-game theme:** ["Dash-A-Long" from _Re:Chain of Memories_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpO54QUoKx4)



In RABBITS ORCHARD, help Rabbit fix the mess Tigger made while teaching Eeyore how to bounce like a Tigger. You’ll get a HONEY POT as a reward.

—

[Click "Previous Chapter" to (re)visit the _Sword in the Stone_ Missing Page #1, aquatic side-quest.]

[Click "Next Chapter" to visit the new world.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Queen Buzzerfly is of course based on the _Dream Drop Distance_ Dive boss fight, specifically the one from Sora's story. Watch the original gameplay [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3g0BQngr0c).
> 
> 90% of the incredible lines of dialogue in this chapter were lifted from the 2011 _Winnie the Pooh_ movie. All I did was weave Kairi into the plot.
> 
> The [crazy meta narration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcmmEonb6xs) in this movie seemed like a cool level design premise for a game. I hope I did the original movie justice with this chapter. I'm not sure I'll keep the illustrations for long, as they are Disney+ screenshots, however downgraded, and not fanart... So, I guess, enjoy them while they're up!
> 
> The 3D models of Pooh's Room are from _Re:Chain of Memories_ (PS4). Thank you, Aem, for providing those acrobatic screenshots!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
